Do you sometimes wonder why so much tension, and strife exist in people around you?

Our enemy, Satan, is constantly at work trying to drive men and women apart. He seeks to get us so busy warring amongst ourselves or simply turning the cold shoulder to each other that our hearts become hardened to soft voice of God.

In this warfare to bring disharmony and discord among God's people, Satan is waging all his efforts against one thing in particular.

But before we go any farther, let's turn to God's word and read our next verse from Proverbs 30, and then we will understand just how we can avoid so much of the disunity that exists in this world, our neighbourhood and perhaps even our own families.

"The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands;" - Proverbs 30:27

Every once in a while, some parts of the world experience an amazing natural phenomena of a locust outbreak! When this happens, you would be able to see an enormous swarms of locusts, perhaps moving coming closer and closer and growing in size as they approach you. Pretty soon the entire area will be covered with these incredible insects. In a very short time there's hardly a green leaf or blade of grass anywhere to be seen as these hungry little creatures devour everything in their path.

Although these creatures of themselves are so tiny and weak, as this verse in proverbs tells us, where does their strength and wisdom lie?

How do they go forth? "All of them by bands" right? You see, even though there may be thousands of locusts they all fly in perfect unity as one united group. And because of this they are able to accomplish a massive amount of work that would have been impossible to do, had not each tiny locust each done their small part.

Do you want to be exceeding wise? Then learn from the locust; strength lies in unity. We can accomplish great things by working together.

But why do we often find it so hard to be in harmony with each other? What exactly is it that Satan so often uses as the wedge to drive us apart?

"But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.
This wisdom descendeth not from above, but [is] earthly, sensual, devilish.
For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work.
But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, [and] easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.
And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." - James 3:14-18

Here, plainly set forth in scripture, is the source of disharmony and discord as well as the key to real unity.

Consider the following definitions:

Envy: "to feel uneasiness, mortification or discontent, at the sight of superior excellence, reputation or happiness enjoyed by another; to grieve one's self at the real or supposed superiority of another, and to hate him on that account." - Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Strife: "Striving or struggling for superiority" - Webster's 1828 Dictionary

So now, what is it that causes disunity?
It's when we hold on to any desire for superiority over our fellow brother, sister, mother, father, friend, spouse or any other person. If there is a shred of envy or strife in our hearts, any desires for superiority over others, then unity is impossible.

What is the root cause of envy and strife? Isn't it because of our selfish nature? Yes, you see, every day a part of us, called self, clamours to be gratified. Self says, I must be the best, I must always have my way, my way is always right, if anyone contradicts me I must come out on top, I am superior to everybody else.

True unity cannot exist with this spirit of selfishness . Selfishness is the tool Satan is using to destroy many. This 'wisdom' does not come from God.

However true unity is found in the wisdom that is from above, that God has instilled in His creation (as we see in the locusts), and has given us in the Bible. This wisdom from God is first pure, without any deceit or selfish desires, it is peaceable, always seeking to keep peace. It is also gentle and easy to be entreated. This wisdom will never strive to be superior to others, or seek to have it's own way. No! On the contrary when a disagreement arises, true wisdom is easy to be entreated it will not seek an argument to always be 'right'.

Unselfishness is the peaceful, pure, yet narrow, path leading to true unity.

Unselfishness will:

"With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." - Ephesians 4:2-3

So we have learnt that the strength of the locusts lies in their working together to accomplish great things. As in this humble creature, so it can be for us. By working together, unselfishly, we can accomplish tasks that would have previously been deemed impossible.

Let's pray that God will strengthen us to surrender self and instead allow the sweet, peaceable Spirit to rule in our life.