Bitter, Strife

Jas 3:14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth.

Jas 3:15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

Jas 3:16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.

Bitter - G4089 - Perhaps from G4078 (through the idea of piercing); sharp (pungent), that is, acrid (literally or figuratively).

• G4078 - A prolonged form of a primary verb (which in its simpler form occurs only as an alternate in certain tenses); to fix (“peg”), that is, (specifically) to set up (a tent).

Interesting visual - a tent peg.  Though, having pitched many a tent and driven more pegs, I can 'see' the 'point'.

This bitter is used only twice, both times in James.  The other passage is:

Jas 3:11  Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? 

Strife - G2052 - Perhaps from the same as G2042; properly intrigue, that is, (by implication) faction.

• G2042 - From a presumed prolonged form of G2054; to stimulate (especially to anger).
• G2054 - From G2056; a kidling, that is, (generally) goat (symbolically wicked person).
• G2056 - Perhaps from the same as G2053 (through the idea of hairiness); a kid or (generally) goat.
• G2053 - Of obscure affinity; wool.

I'd never have thought of strife and goat as having any similarities.  We've had friends who have goats and they can indeed be trying!

Used 7 times - 

Rom 2:8  But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,

2Co 12:20  For I fear, lest, when I come, I shall not find you such as I would, and that I shall be found unto you such as ye would not: lest there be debates, envyings, wraths, strifes, backbitings, whisperings, swellings, tumults: 

Gal 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, 

Php 1:16  The one preach Christ of contention, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my bonds: 

Php 2:3  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 

Then again in our James' passages above.  The goat imaginary is causing me to 'see' these passages differently.  Goats are so...so...goaty {laugh}.  They are headstrong, independent...researching....

This site, stated:

"Goats are capricious. They are impulsive and unpredictable, devious and contrary. If they are not poking their heads through fences, they may be standing on their hind legs, stretching for those tender leaves just out of reach. Goats are never content with what they have.

They are experts in opening gates and squeezing through small gaps because they hate to be confined. Fences that will handle sheep, cattle, and horses will not hold goats. They will work tirelessly to spring themselves from any situation they deem inhibiting.

Consequently, goats are not very good followers. "Gregarious behavior" is a term that refers to the flocking or herding instinct which is found strongly in sheep, cattle, and horses. Again, this quality is rather weak in goats; they prefer leading or going off on their own."

This is somewhat disconcerting, I 'see' some of the above behavior in myself.  Not necessarily impulsive, unpredictable, devious or contrary (at least I don't think so!).  I do see myself as wanting to 'lead' and 'go off on my own'.  Independent.  Not, I hope, to cause disunity within a body of believers.

For the curious among us, differences between sheep and goats:

Sheep 101

I found this statement from Creation [dot] com interesting:

"...sheep and goats in Asia and Africa are often similar in appearance..."

Which would make the Matthew passage about separating out the sheep from the goats easier to understand.

So who do you most resemble?