Sadly, fights and quarrels are a feature of most families. It would be hypocritical of me to pretend that they never featured in my relationship with my twin brother! Thankfully, however, they quickly became a thing of the past and harmony reigns!
It is a particularly sad thing, however, if they are a feature of relationships between Christians. Nevertheless, the reality is that they do arise and they run like a thread through the history of the Church. James wrote in his letter about ‘wars (prolonged hostilities) and fights (specific outbursts) among you’, James chapter 4 verse 1. He realised that they even damaged prayer life and God’s law, James chapter 4 verse 3, 11. He highlighted the different kinds of fights, e.g. wars of words, chapter 3 verse 10; social class wars, chapter 2 verses 3, 6; wars of jealousy, chapter 3 verse 14; wars between individuals, chapter 4 verse 11.
We can blame individuals for fights and quarrels but the painful truth is they come from within us – from our hearts, chapter 3 verse 14. In fact, we fight against God!
Undoubtedly, the time that James spent in the presence of Jesus in the family and beyond, showed him that there was a therapy for fights and quarrels – it was to be found in THE WISDOM THAT COMES FROM ABOVE, chapter 3 verse 17 – this wisdom, that was seen to perfection in the life of Jesus, was:
- pure
- peaceable
- willing to yield
- full of mercy and good fruits
- impartial
- without hypocrisy
However, if we wish to come into the good of this therapy we must submit to God, chapter 4 verse 7, resist the Devil, chapter 4 verse 7 and draw near to God, chapter 4 verse 8