As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife. Proverbs 26:21 (NIV)
Troublemakers start trouble, just as sparks and fuel start a fire. Proverbs 26:21 (CEV)
Charcoal keeps the embers glowing, wood keeps the fire burning, and troublemakers keep arguments alive. Proverbs 26:21(GNT)
Pastor’s Commentary:
I have found that organizations can greatly improve by simply eliminating a negative influence from the group. Modern leadership philosophies place a great deal of emphasis on the implementation of policies and programs to increase organizational success and productivity, and sometimes such measures are needed. The Wisdom of God, on the other hand, gives us insight into another more likely source of group dysfunction; it’s the people. To be more specific, it’s certain types of people.
Today’s Wisdom verse tells us that the source of strife, which is actually the opposite of organization/interpersonal unity, is very often a quarrelsome person. In modern vernacular, we refer to such folks as troublemakers. Troublemakers are quarrelsome, argumentative, and toxic influences who destroy organizational cohesion with their mouths and negative attitudes. As long as they are allowed to freely spout their poisonous negativity, group unity is impossible. If a troublemaker cannot be reformed, they must be eliminated.
I know this is hard to accept, especially by many contemporary leaders, because most have been taught erroneously that holding people accountable for inappropriate behavior is judgmental and unloving. So, they generally ignore people who constantly create problems within their groups, and for some reason, are surprised when things don’t get better. Quality people quit such organizations in disgust, meanwhile the toxic ones are allowed to remain comfortably enthroned unchecked and unchallenged. Beloved, this should not be!
The Apostle Paul served as one of the best organizational leaders in history. Let’s look at his advice form dealing with toxic organizational influences:
“…Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are…I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people—not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters…But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister, but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked person from among you.’” 1 Corinthians 5:6-13 (NIV)
“Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed. Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.” 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15 (NIV)
“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels…, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.” Titus 3:14-15 (NIV)
Make sure you get guidance from the Holy Spirit on how to apply these scriptures. In many cases, you can’t just “bind the devil”; you have to eliminate the negative people around you and within your organziations. That’s Wisdom!
