Where do wars and fights [come] from among you? Do [they] not [come] from your [desires for] pleasure that war in your members? James 4:1-4 (NKJV)
If I think I’m more important than you, better than you and at the same time you think you’re more important than me, better than me then we are going to be out of harmony, we are going to collide. Life is built on relationships where it’s not about competition but complementing each other. We are all equally important in our positioning and equally useful in our placement in life.
The Corinthian church was divided because of strife which resulted from pride or boasting in the persons of men. They had factions within the church where some described themselves as belonging to Paul and others to Apollo. But Paul rebuked and corrected them saying it’s not in men but in God that we should feel important and boast in. The one who plants and the one who waters are equally useful but it’s God who gives the increase and therefore should be glorified. 1 Corinthians 3:1-9.
Therefore the cure for pride and strife is acknowledging that in and of ourselves we are not anything but it is God in and through us working and giving increase to everything that’s good and worthwhile.
