1 Peter 2:1
Stop being hateful! Quit trying to fool people, and start being sincere. Don't be jealous or say cruel things about others.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
Your mom has probably told you at some point, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” Good advice! People can usually spot a phony a mile away… especially if that person makes a habit of telling others what they want to hear. You know the type… “fitting in” by being critical or cruel toward others, spreading gossip, and cutting down others in order to make themselves look better. These same people can turn on the charm when they come face-to-face with the very people they have criticized or berated. They know how to “work a crowd”… but not in a good way. Hopefully you are not one of these people!
There is no room in the life of a Christian for such phoniness. We don’t have time and energy to expend on anything except the things of Jesus… sharing love, grace, mercy, kindness, understanding… GOOD NEWS!
I dare you to make a concerted effort to smile more and see what happens! I challenge you to speak only kindness toward others – and about them. I beg you to realize that you don’t have to be jealous of anyone else. YOU are a child of the Most High God… heir to His throne and all the glory and riches of heaven. You don’t have to compare yourself to anyone else for even one second. In God’s eyes, you are second to none!
Also recognize this… the very people that you may speak unkindly toward – or talk about – the very ones you dislike or treat hypocritically… the ones you “love to hate” are also God’s children. They are equal to you in God’s eyes. So when you mistreat them, you are in essence mistreating God! Think about this. Do you really want to be even remotely guilty of mistreating your Heavenly Father? Do you want Him to think for even a split second that you could be less than all He has called you to be?
Kick jealousy, gossip, unkind speech, hypocrisy, deceit, and all forms of evil behavior to the curb. Be the child of God you have been called to be... operate in His goodness and mercy… and be the real deal for Jesus Christ. Truly… nothing less is good enough.
©2010 Debbie Robus
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