“Them’s Fightin’ Words!”
What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3)
Sam had been in the computer business for 25 years and finally got sick of the stress. He quit his job and bought 50 acres of land in the Appalachian Mountains as far from humanity as possible. It was total peace and quiet. But after six months of almost total isolation, he was beginning to long for contact with other people. His opportunity finally came one night when just as he was finishing dinner he heard a knock on his door. He opened it and there was a big bearded Appalachian hillbilly standing there. It was the first person he’d seen for six months. “My Name is Enoch... Your neighbor from four miles over the ridge... Having a party Saturday... thought you’d like to come.” “Great,” said Sam, “after six months of this I’m ready to meet some local folks. Thank you – I’ll be there.” As Enoch was leaving he stopped, “Gotta warn you though, there’s gonna be some loud music.” “Not a problem,” said Sam, “After 6 months of almost total silence, I can handle some loud music.” Enoch went on, “More ’n’ likely gonna be some fightin, too.” Sam thought, “Wow, tough crowd.” “Well, I get along fairly well with other people. I’ll still be there. Thanks again.” But he stopped Enoch just as he was heading out the door, “Wait, one more thing, what should I wear to the party?” Enoch stopped in the door and said, “Wear whatever you want, it’s just gonna be the two of us.”
Isn’t it amazing how prone to conflict we human beings are? In one study I came across it stated that since 3600 B.C. there have been 14,531 wars in the world in which 3,640,000,000 people have been killed. It said that out of those 5609 years of recorded history the world has only known 292 years of peace time. I doubt that any of us ever go though even one day of our lives without being exposed to some kind of conflict. It’s impossible to escape conflict in the media. It’s become the norm in most families. Sadly it happens in some churches. Whether it’s between nations, family members, friends or foes conflict is an inescapable reality of life. From the day of birth to the day we die, we face a never ending chain of conflict.
In the passage above James is teaching the root cause of every quarrel. Without wasting any time he gets right down to the basic root cause of every quarrel. It’s all about selfishness.
The cause of conflict is internal – not external. It’s easy to blame others for that which is tearing at the fabric of relationship. “It’s his fault! It’s her fault! It’s their fault!” James is aware that we all like to look outward but very seldom feel comfortable looking inward. He says, “Don’t (quarrels) come from desires that battle within you? The word desire comes from the Greek word hedonon from which we get hedonist. A hedonist is a person who sole desire in life is to satisfy self. Now here is what James is saying; Self-centeredness causes conflict. Selfishness causes quarrels. Obsessive self-interest causes fights. The selfish person says, “I want what I want – when I want it – to the degree I want it - I want my way! If you want to end a quarrel with someone you’ve got to abandon hedonism. The way to the end of a quarrel is to look internally – not externally.
James also says the cause of conflict is rooted in coveting. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. When we see the things that other people possess and we want it for ourselves– that’s coveting. Sometimes people will do anything to get what they want. Things like money, possessions, power or authority. If somebody has it and we don’t, we can become like kids in a sandbox. “Gimme that! I want it! That’s mine! You can’t play with that, it’s mine! I’ll get you for taking my truck! That’s my shovel! Mine, mine, mine! …MOMMY!” Quarrelling is a sign of immaturity and clue that we need to grow up. Sooner or later we all have to realize we’re not supposed to own all the toys in the toy box. We all have to learn to share. We all have to recognize that others have a right to play in the sand along with us. We all have to recognize the sand box wasn’t designed to be my personal little kingdom.
James also says that conflict is rooted in prayerlessness. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. What’s he saying here? The selfish person is so focused on getting what he wants, he even forgets to pray. Selfishness factors God out of the equation. The quarrelling person is so focused on getting what he wants he forgets that he has a heavenly Father who watches over our every moment wanting to fill our life with blessing. And if perchance the selfish person should remember to pray, James says he still prays with selfish motives hoping that like a Genie in a lamp, God will magically grant his self-seeking wish.
Don’t you think it’s time to put away the quarrels and conflicts you might have in your life? If there is an ongoing conflict in your life why not resolve right now to put an end to it. You’re never more like Jesus than when you begin to establish peace in a world full of conflict. “Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called the sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9)
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
Sam had been in the computer business for 25 years and finally got sick of the stress. He quit his job and bought 50 acres of land in the Appalachian Mountains as far from humanity as possible. It was total peace and quiet. But after six months of almost total isolation, he was beginning to long for contact with other people. His opportunity finally came one night when just as he was finishing dinner he heard a knock on his door. He opened it and there was a big bearded Appalachian hillbilly standing there. It was the first person he’d seen for six months. “My Name is Enoch... Your neighbor from four miles over the ridge... Having a party Saturday... thought you’d like to come.” “Great,” said Sam, “after six months of this I’m ready to meet some local folks. Thank you – I’ll be there.” As Enoch was leaving he stopped, “Gotta warn you though, there’s gonna be some loud music.” “Not a problem,” said Sam, “After 6 months of almost total silence, I can handle some loud music.” Enoch went on, “More ’n’ likely gonna be some fightin, too.” Sam thought, “Wow, tough crowd.” “Well, I get along fairly well with other people. I’ll still be there. Thanks again.” But he stopped Enoch just as he was heading out the door, “Wait, one more thing, what should I wear to the party?” Enoch stopped in the door and said, “Wear whatever you want, it’s just gonna be the two of us.”
Isn’t it amazing how prone to conflict we human beings are? In one study I came across it stated that since 3600 B.C. there have been 14,531 wars in the world in which 3,640,000,000 people have been killed. It said that out of those 5609 years of recorded history the world has only known 292 years of peace time. I doubt that any of us ever go though even one day of our lives without being exposed to some kind of conflict. It’s impossible to escape conflict in the media. It’s become the norm in most families. Sadly it happens in some churches. Whether it’s between nations, family members, friends or foes conflict is an inescapable reality of life. From the day of birth to the day we die, we face a never ending chain of conflict.
In the passage above James is teaching the root cause of every quarrel. Without wasting any time he gets right down to the basic root cause of every quarrel. It’s all about selfishness.
The cause of conflict is internal – not external. It’s easy to blame others for that which is tearing at the fabric of relationship. “It’s his fault! It’s her fault! It’s their fault!” James is aware that we all like to look outward but very seldom feel comfortable looking inward. He says, “Don’t (quarrels) come from desires that battle within you? The word desire comes from the Greek word hedonon from which we get hedonist. A hedonist is a person who sole desire in life is to satisfy self. Now here is what James is saying; Self-centeredness causes conflict. Selfishness causes quarrels. Obsessive self-interest causes fights. The selfish person says, “I want what I want – when I want it – to the degree I want it - I want my way! If you want to end a quarrel with someone you’ve got to abandon hedonism. The way to the end of a quarrel is to look internally – not externally.
James also says the cause of conflict is rooted in coveting. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. When we see the things that other people possess and we want it for ourselves– that’s coveting. Sometimes people will do anything to get what they want. Things like money, possessions, power or authority. If somebody has it and we don’t, we can become like kids in a sandbox. “Gimme that! I want it! That’s mine! You can’t play with that, it’s mine! I’ll get you for taking my truck! That’s my shovel! Mine, mine, mine! …MOMMY!” Quarrelling is a sign of immaturity and clue that we need to grow up. Sooner or later we all have to realize we’re not supposed to own all the toys in the toy box. We all have to learn to share. We all have to recognize that others have a right to play in the sand along with us. We all have to recognize the sand box wasn’t designed to be my personal little kingdom.
James also says that conflict is rooted in prayerlessness. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. What’s he saying here? The selfish person is so focused on getting what he wants, he even forgets to pray. Selfishness factors God out of the equation. The quarrelling person is so focused on getting what he wants he forgets that he has a heavenly Father who watches over our every moment wanting to fill our life with blessing. And if perchance the selfish person should remember to pray, James says he still prays with selfish motives hoping that like a Genie in a lamp, God will magically grant his self-seeking wish.
Don’t you think it’s time to put away the quarrels and conflicts you might have in your life? If there is an ongoing conflict in your life why not resolve right now to put an end to it. You’re never more like Jesus than when you begin to establish peace in a world full of conflict. “Blessed are the peacemakers because they will be called the sons of God.” (Matt. 5:9)
Live the Victorious Life,
PT
posted by Larry | 5:02 PM
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