Verse of the Day - 1 Peter 2:1

So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. ~ 1 Peter 2:1 (NLT)

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Not long ago, I got caught starting up some very unkind speech with a friend toward a stranger at a public place. Actually, because this stranger looked and acted differently than we did, several were making side comments about this person. Sometime later, I joined in by speaking to a friend about the stranger. Get this: I even prefaced my initial comment with, "Now tell me if this would be gossip..." and then proceeded to talk badly about the stranger. Gee, do you think my gossip comment should've given me a clue?!?

It turned ugly when the stranger overheard some or most of what was being said and did not take it lightly or kindly. Very ugly remarks were later said to my friend, who bore the brunt of my bad behavior. I felt so awful. Not only had my friend been hurt, but I had made that stranger feel bad. And I had hurt Christ's credibility. Because, you see, this was at the church bowling league I'm a part of.

Boy, did the Lord pick me up by the collar and haul me into the alley on that one! I couldn't go to sleep that night for the Scripture that flooded my mind, convicting me rightly for my bad attitude and behavior toward this stranger, and for the damage that it caused relationally. Of course, my voice must've carried louder than I thought, but even if I'd whispered, it would've been wrong. Even if the stranger had not heard a word, it would've been wrong. I judged this person unfairly and slandered them to another. Oh my goodness, girl, what were you thinking?

The day after this incident, 1 Peter 2:1 was one of the verses that popped up that I peruse each morning. I just couldn't use it for VOTD. My heart couldn't really express what happened. But today it popped back up again from another website, so I felt the Lord leading me to share my story.

As followers of Jesus Christ, we must be extremely on guard in our attitudes toward others, especially of those who don't know Jesus. If we don't keep our attitudes in check and our hearts clean, we will eventually spew garbage out of our mouths that can do great harm! And that damages/destroys relationships, and tarnishes Jesus' name to unbelievers. Yuck.

With our tongues, we praise God and curse men (James 3:9), and it's a cryin' shame. I asked forgiveness from my friend for the evil I shared and the negative fallout that occurred, but I didn't get a chance to apologize to the stranger. That could get me a punch in the face, but that's okay -- I would deserve it. If I have opportunity to see this person again, I pray God will give me strength to humbly ask their forgiveness for my un-Christlike behavior.

I ask you to join me in keeping a close watch on our tongues. And moreso, our hearts -- because out of the overflow of our hearts, our mouths speak (Luke 6:45).

Love,
Joelene