Everyone has encountered troublemakers in life—those who stir up strife and cause chaos. But what does the Bible say about dealing with these individuals? Are there specific teachings that help us navigate these difficult situations, or offer wisdom on how to address troublemakers in a godly way? Let’s look at how the Bible guides us in this area.
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What Does The Bible Say About Troublemakers
Proverbs 6:12-15
“A troublemaker and a villain, who goes about with a corrupt mouth, who winks maliciously with his eye, signals with his feet and motions with his fingers, who plots evil with deceit in his heart— he always stirs up conflict. Therefore, disaster will overtake him in an instant; he will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.”
This verse warns against the actions and character of a troublemaker. It describes someone who speaks corruptly and deceitfully, using body language and gestures to signal their malicious intent. The verse emphasizes that such individuals constantly stir up conflicts and cause harm. Their actions will ultimately lead to their own destruction and there will be no remedy for them. This verse serves as a cautionary message to avoid becoming a troublemaker and to be aware of those who seek to cause trouble.
Proverbs 22:10
“Drive out the mocker, and out goes strife; quarrels and insults are ended.”
This verse highlights the impact of removing a mocker from a situation. By driving out someone who consistently mocks or ridicules others, strife, quarrels, and insults can be put to an end. It emphasizes the importance of addressing and not tolerating the behavior of those who provoke conflicts through their mocking attitudes. By removing the source of mockery, peace and harmony can be restored.
Psalm 34:14
“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”
This verse encourages individuals to turn away from evil and instead engage in acts of goodness. It emphasizes the importance of seeking peace and actively pursuing it. By choosing to avoid troublemaking behavior and instead focusing on doing good, we can contribute to creating an environment of peace and harmony.
Proverbs 16:28
“A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.”
This verse highlights the damaging effects of a perverse person who intentionally stirs up conflict. It also warns about the power of gossip, which can lead to the separation of close friends. Both of these actions have the potential to harm relationships and create a hostile environment. The verse serves as a reminder to be cautious of our own actions and to avoid engaging in behavior that can lead to conflict or the breakdown of friendships.
Matthew 5:9
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
This verse teaches the value of being a peacemaker. It states that those who actively work towards peace will be blessed and recognized as children of God. It emphasizes the importance of promoting peace rather than engaging in troublemaking behaviors. As followers of Christ, we are encouraged to embody the qualities of peacemakers and actively work towards reconciliation and harmony.
Proverbs 16:27
“A scoundrel plots evil, and on their lips it is like a scorching fire.”
This verse describes the actions of a scoundrel who plots evil and speaks words that are destructive and harmful. The verse compares their words to a scorching fire, highlighting the intensity of the damage caused by their malicious speech. It serves as a reminder to be cautious of the words we speak and to avoid engaging in actions that lead to the harm and destruction of others.
Proverbs 26:20
“Without wood, a fire goes out; without a gossip, a quarrel dies down.”
This verse points out that without fuel, a fire cannot continue burning. Similarly, without the involvement of a gossip, a quarrel will eventually die down. It emphasizes the role of gossip in perpetuating conflicts and argues for the importance of refusing to engage in gossip. By choosing not to participate in gossip, we can help promote the resolution of conflicts and the restoration of peace.
Proverbs 10:12
“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.”
This verse presents a contrast between hatred and love. It states that hatred stirs up conflict, while love has the power to cover over all wrongs. It serves as a reminder to choose love over hatred and to let love guide our actions and responses. By demonstrating love and forgiveness, we can contribute to the resolution of conflicts and the promotion of peace.
Proverbs 28:25
“The greedy stir up conflict, but those who trust in the Lord will prosper.”
This verse warns against the actions of the greedy, who stir up conflict through their pursuit of self-interest. It contrasts their behavior with those who trust in the Lord, who will ultimately prosper. It reminds us of the importance of aligning our hearts and actions with God’s principles, rather than being driven by selfish desires that can lead to troublemaking and conflict.
Proverbs 15:18
“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.”
This verse contrasts the behavior of a hot-tempered person with someone who possesses patience. It states that a hot-tempered individual stirs up conflict, while a patient person has the ability to calm a quarrel. It highlights the importance of cultivating patience in our interactions with others, as it can help deescalate conflicts and promote peaceful resolutions.
Proverbs 29:22
“An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.”
This verse emphasizes the destructive nature of anger and a hot temper. It states that an angry person stirs up conflict and that a hot-tempered individual is prone to committing many sins. It serves as a reminder to guard against anger and to cultivate self-control in order to avoid engaging in troublemaking behavior and to maintain healthy relationships.
Proverbs 15:1
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
This verse highlights the power of gentle and kind words in diffusing anger. It emphasizes that responding to conflict with a gentle answer can help turn away wrath, while a harsh word only serves to stir up more anger. It reminds us of the importance of choosing our words wisely, as they have the potential to either calm or escalate a situation.
Proverbs 17:14
“Starting a quarrel is like breaching a dam; so drop the matter before a dispute breaks out.”
This verse uses the analogy of breaching a dam to illustrate the consequences of starting a quarrel. Just as breaching a dam leads to a flood, starting a quarrel can lead to a flood of conflict and turmoil. The verse advises to drop the matter before a dispute breaks out, highlighting the importance of avoiding unnecessary conflicts and working towards peaceful resolutions.
James 3:16
“For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.”
This verse highlights the negative consequences of envy and selfish ambition. It states that where these traits are present, disorder and every evil practice flourish. It serves as a reminder to guard against these destructive motivations and to instead cultivate attitudes of contentment and selflessness in order to promote harmony and prevent troublemaking.
Proverbs 13:10
“Where there is strife, there is pride, but wisdom is found in those who take advice.”
This verse links strife with pride, suggesting that conflicts often arise from a place of arrogance. It contrasts strife with wisdom, which is found in those who are willing to listen to and take advice. It underscores the importance of humility and the willingness to seek and heed wise counsel as a means to avoid troublemaking and promote peace.
James 4:1
“What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?”
This verse points to the root cause of fights and quarrels, suggesting that they stem from the internal desires that battle within individuals. It highlights the importance of self-reflection and examining our own motivations and desires in order to prevent troublemaking behavior. By addressing the inner conflicts, we can proactively work towards resolving external conflicts and promoting peace.
Proverbs 26:17
“Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.”
This verse uses a vivid analogy to caution against involving oneself in a quarrel that does not belong to them. Just as grabbing a stray dog by the ears leads to inevitable consequences, rushing into someone else’s quarrel can result in unnecessary trouble and harm. The verse advises exercising caution and discernment in choosing which conflicts to engage in, reminding us to prioritize peace and avoid becoming entangled in unnecessary disputes.
Proverbs 15:18
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.”
This verse underscores the importance of seeking counsel and advice in the decision-making process. It suggests that plans are more likely to succeed when there are multiple advisers involved. By seeking wisdom from others, we can gain valuable perspectives and insights, reducing the likelihood of troublemaking and increasing the chances of achieving peace and success.
Proverbs 17:19
“Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin; whoever builds a high gate invites destruction.”
This verse warns against the destructive nature of loving quarrels and engaging in conflict. It states that those who love quarrels also love sin, as quarreling often involves harmful and sinful behavior. It further compares building a high gate to inviting destruction, suggesting that actively seeking out conflict only leads to negative consequences. The verse encourages us to choose love, peace, and humility over quarrels and troublemaking.
James 1:19
“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”
This verse provides practical advice for avoiding troublemaking behavior. It encourages us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. By adopting a patient and empathetic communication style, we can prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary conflicts. This verse reminds us of the importance of cultivating active listening skills and exercising self-control in our interactions with others.
Proverbs 26:21
“As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.”
This verse uses the imagery of charcoal and wood fueling a fire to illustrate the role of a quarrelsome person in escalating conflicts. Just as adding fuel to a fire increases its intensity, a quarrelsome person kindles strife and contributes to the continuation and escalation of conflicts. The verse highlights the negative impact of troublemaking behavior and serves as a reminder to avoid engaging in actions that perpetuate strife.
Proverbs 18:6
“The lips of fools bring them strife, and their mouths invite a beating.”
This verse highlights the consequences of foolish speech. It states that the lips of fools bring them into strife, indicating that their words contribute to conflicts. It further suggests that their mouths invite a beating, implying that their speech can lead to physical harm as well. The verse serves as a warning against the destructive power of words and encourages us to exercise wisdom and thoughtfulness in our speech to avoid troublemaking.
Proverbs 14:17
“A quick-tempered person does foolish things, and the one who devises evil schemes is hated.”
This verse emphasizes the connection between a quick temper and foolish actions. It suggests that a person who is easily angered is more likely to engage in behavior that is considered foolish. Additionally, it states that those who devise evil schemes are hated. The verse serves as a reminder to guard against impulsive reactions and to instead cultivate patience and wisdom in order to avoid troublemaking and foster healthy relationships.
Proverbs 20:3
“It is to one’s honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.”
This verse highlights the importance of avoiding strife and conflict for the sake of one’s honor. It suggests that it is more noble and wise to choose peace over engagement in quarrels. It further contrasts honorable behavior with the impulsive nature of fools, who are quick to initiate conflict. The verse encourages us to prioritize peace and harmony, avoiding troublemaking and choosing to conduct ourselves with wisdom and grace.
Proverbs 22:24-25
“Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.”
This verse provides cautionary advice regarding relationships with hot-tempered individuals. It warns against making friends or associating with people who are easily angered, as their behavior can be contagious and result in our own entanglement in troublemaking situations. The verse highlights the influence of company on our own character and encourages us to be discerning in our choice of companions to avoid being drawn into troublemaking behavior.
Proverbs 12:18
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
This verse contrasts the destructive power of reckless words with the healing impact of wise speech. It suggests that reckless words pierce others like swords, causing emotional harm and perpetuating conflicts. Conversely, the tongue of the wise brings healing, emphasizing the importance of using our words wisely to diffuse conflicts and promote peace. The verse reminds us of the responsibility we have in choosing our words carefully, avoiding troublemaking through reckless or hurtful speech.
When examining the topic of troublemakers, the Bible provides valuable guidance on how to handle conflicts and avoid engaging in troublemaking behavior. These verses emphasize the importance of peace, wisdom, self-control, and humility. They caution against behaviors such as gossip, anger, and envy, which can contribute to conflicts and strife. The verses highlight the destructive consequences of troublemaking, both on individuals and relationships. They encourage us to pursue peaceful resolutions and to actively work towards reconciliation. Through cultivating virtues such as love, patience, and kindness, we can promote harmony and avoid becoming agents of trouble. By following the teachings of Scripture, we can navigate conflicts with wisdom and grace, fostering an atmosphere of peace and understanding.