“DEALING WITH THE NEGATIVE”

Good Evening to All!

 

As per the picture to the right, call it what you want, it's still gossip.
 

Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out:  so where there is no talebearer,  the strife ceaseth.  As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife.  (Proverbs 26:20-21)

(20) When you run out of wood, the fire goes out; when the gossip ends, the quarrel dies down.
(21) A quarrelsome person in a dispute is like kerosene thrown on a fire.  (The Message)

An example given in my Devotional Book was:

The foreman was always finding fault with everything that was done.  Nothing was ever good enough.  Even when it was done exactly as he specified, it still wasn’t correct.  Everyone lived in fear that they would be his next victim.  Some people dreaded coming into work for the fear of having to face him.  That was why everyone breathed a sigh of relief when he went on a  two-week vacation.  From the first day the atmosphere changed in the office.  People could breathe easily, and they got along much better.  They stopped being defensive, and production increased greatly.  When quality control came to find out why, they decided to replace the foreman, and the office became a joyful and peaceful place to work. 
I don’t know why, but some people thrive on stirring up trouble. 

 A friend of mine and I were talking about that the other day.  It’s like they are not happy if there isn’t a lot of drama going on. 
You know the old saying, misery loves company, well, if  they aren’t happy, no one is going to be happy.  I personally think that is a sad way to live.  It is like that person’s happiness is depending on how miserable they can make every one else. 

The thing about it is, if we can remain calm and endure that person’s personality, then at some point God will see this and reward us for our patience.  According to God’s Word, there is no place with God for a person of this sort.  He tells us not to sow discord.  He tells us not to be talebearers.  We are not to inflict pain on other people.   My favorite saying is “what goes around comes around”.  It doesn’t use those exact words in the Bible, but I know that when someone wrongs God’s people, He will deal with them in His time. 
 
This being said, A fire cannot burn without fuel, and so it goes that anxiety cannot continue without a cause.  God will be faithful to remove the source of our pain if we will rely on Him.  Let Him do it in His time.  We should not take this upon ourselves because we would be adding fuel to the fire.

I am sure that there may have been times when I have unintentionally caused someone pain.  Whether it is giving my “unwarranted opinion”, or unsolicited advice.  I work on keeping these things to myself everyday.  I have even added that to my prayers because I definitely do not want to be that kind of person who is known for hurting others. 
 
I try to treat others as I would like to be treated, and sometimes I forget.  That is why I am so thankful that I have a God who forgives and is constantly working on me.
Lord, please help me to hold my tongue.  Keep my thoughts about others positive and pure so that all I have are good things to say about others.  Help me to remember that my obligation as a Christian, as a Child of God, is to edify or build up His church.  I am not talking about the “building which I attend every chance I get, “ but the PEOPLE who make up the Church or “Body of Christ”. 

I could not resist the picture I posted of the "social media" posting etiquette.  I have seen so much anger, ridicule and filthy language posted since I have been on Facebook and Twitter it's sad.  I have gotten where when I see this, if it is someone whom I have "friended" I automatically take them off my friends list because I feel that they are showing so much disrespect to others by doing this, I don't want to be associated with them.  I have even taken family off my lists for this same reason.  If they disrespect me that much, I don't need to keep up with them. 

Father, I thank you for leading me to this devotional lesson, and for putting it on my heart to post about it on my blog.  In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

I hope that this little lesson has placed a seed in someone’s heart like it did mine to think twice about how and what we say to others. How we react to what is said to and about us. 
God will defend His children against bullies, talebearers or negative people, we don’t have to.  All we have to do is pray about it and ask Him.


Answers to Bible Trivia “Fruit of the Vine” are as follows:
1.  The Holy Spirit  (Ephesians 5:18)
2.  Jesus (Matthew 11: 19)
3.  Isaiah  (63: 1-4)
4. The stomach  (1 Timothy 5: 23)
5.  The Tabernacle  (Leviticus  10: 8-9)
6.  The Nazarites  (Numbers 6: 2-3)
7. A bishop (or overseer)  (1 Timothy 3: 2-3)
8.  Myrrh  (Mark 15:23)
9.  Gideon (Judges 6:11)
10.  Old wine  (Luke 5:39)

Have a Wonderful Evening and May God Bless!