Jephthah then called together the men of Gilead and fought against Ephraim. the Gileadites struck them down because the Ephraimites had said, "You Gileadites are renegades from Ephraim and Manasseh." Judges 12:4
With all the enemies that Israel faced, the continuation of Jephthah's story surprises me. The greatest conflict during the time of Jephthah wasn't with a foreign enemy but between the Ephraimites and the Gileadites. These men were descendants of Joseph the favorite son of Jacob.
Didn't they have enough to worry about from outside forces? Why did they spend so much time and energy fighting among themselves? Forty-two thousand Ephraimites died during this time, and why?
The conflict seemed to begin when the men of Ephraim complained to Jephthah because he didn't ask them to fight beside him against the Ammonites. But the real reason stemmed from petty jealousies and insults. The Gileadites wouldn't stand for being called renegades, so they fought against their brothers.
Dysfunctional families are like that. There aren't enough external problems to maintain a certain level of turmoil, so internal strife takes its place. As an adult, it amazes me to consider the petty family battles of my childhood. Some of the most damaging experiences in my life were caused by those who should have stood by me and fought for me - not against me.
Lord, thank You for helping me to break the cycle of family turmoil. My own home has not been devoid of strife, but it has been filled with forgiveness and love. Watch over my children. Protect them from petty conflicts. Draw them closer to You.