Proverbs 17:10-15 – What can disrupt peace?

Peace, while needed, is often disrupted because we live among imperfect people. For that matter we ourselves aren’t perfect. How do we identify the kind of people that can bring disruption to relationship and destroy the peace? Prayerfully, as we reflect on these verses, we will be able to identify them and deal with them appropriately. We on our part should also seek not to emulate their life.

The first type of people that will destroy peace is described in verses 10-11 as the rebellious. Such people are not receptive to rebukes no matter how severely they are delivered. They are impervious to correction. Not even a hundred blows will affect them. Such people do not respond, neither will they give any attention to constructive feedbacks, because they are insolent. However, to one who is receptive and insightful, a mere word of caution will be sufficient. The only goal of the rebellious is to go against the right order. They will rebel and rebel. They will go against God, against those in authority, whether in society, at home, at work or in church. The warning of verse 11 is that the rebellious will not go unpunished. The messenger sent to deal with him is termed ‘cruel’ because his assignment is to deal with the rebels without mercy. He will be merciless.

The second type of people that will disrupt peace, indicated by verse 12, is the malicious. Such people are cruel. Using hyperbolic description, this verse says that it is better for one to meet a bear robbed of her cub than a malicious person. The intensity of their cruelty is unimaginable. He is seen as a fool and his vicious acts are seen as foolishness. Think of people like Hitler who had destroyed millions of Jews for no reason. He is the epitome of maliciousness.   

The third type of people that disrupt peace seen in verse 13 is the ungrateful. Such kind of people do not know how to respond to kindness. Instead of returning good they repay evil for kindness. By their action they will be inviting evil. Such people will not find any sympathy from others when they are besieged by troubles.

The fourth category of people who can disrupt peace alluded to in verse 14 is the quarrelsome. Contention always begins in a small way. Like a little leak if it is not dealt with, the dam will break loose. Annoyance and tension are clear indicators to break away before a contention breaks loose.

The fifth category of people that can disrupt peace referred to in verse 15 is people who are unfair. Such people cannot deal justly even with those who outrightly commit wickedness. They are detestable to the Lord. There are two sub-categories among this type of people: those who exonerate a guilty person and those who censure the innocent.   

Let us not emulate any of these categories of disruptive people. Let’s be peacemakers. For in Matthew 5:9, Jesus challenges us to be one, saying, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”