We talk about the effects of conflict and gossip in our lives and the lives of others. We talk about bullying. We talk about erasing hate. We generally rely on "love one another", but here is a verse that is a little more specific.
Troublemakers. We all know at least one. Some of us have the uncanny talent of attracting them! They are the ones who like to tell tall tales that are not true, or are half true, or have maybe an ounce of truth to them. They attack and then sit back and wait for the party to begin. They need our prayers, but they do not need to be an active part of our lives. They will not bring us joy, they will only bring us pain.
Gossip. Such a fun way to spend the day - discussing the shortcomings of others, passing along information that is neither helpful or kind. It destroys friendships, it destroys lives. It's not relaying information for the good, it's passing on hurtful opinions of a situation that is not our business.
Drama. We all know the effects of drama - those people who find the need to make a mountain out of a molehill. Those people who need to whine and carry on about what others have done to them and how we need to ban them from our lives.
With everything that is wrong in the world, the time for these types of individuals in our lives is long passed. It's time to stand up, in the name of Jesus, and declare that we will love one another by not encouraging them by listening to and believing their script. It is time to erase the hate from the heart and put the love of God there instead. Easy? No, not if you've been a part of it for years and years. Possible? Absolutely!
Let the love that Jesus spoke of, the love for one another, quell the voices of hate with the simple act of saying "no, I will not be a participant". Erasing hate begins with you...
