Today, Colin Powell, Former Secretary of State, summarized my feelings well when he spoke on NPR. Speaking about the GOP presidential candidates Powell said, "To stand there and do junior high school tricks on one another is belittling the country and belittling the office to which they are striving." Powell also said, "Even Jerry Springer thinks it's gone too far, and when Jerry Springer thinks you've gone too far, my friends, you have gone too far."
Apparently, our society has lost the ability to be civil and speak with decency and respect. We are deluged daily with news that is causing anxiety and anger levels to rise within us. Is anyone else tired of it?
Think about the verse in this graphic and ask yourself: "Do I have a calm, undisturbed mind and heart? If not, is there any envy, jealousy, or wrath in my attitudes and actions? Do I lack that peace in my life because I'm blaming someone else for what's wrong in my life and/or the world?" This includes hateful speech towards a specific group of people or individual - i.e. Muslims and the President, and presidential candidates.
Instead of cursing them, ask God to bless them with whatever their need may be. Do they need to know our Savior? Bless them by praying for their salvation rather than speaking a curse upon them. Romans 12:14 tells us, "Bless those who persecute you, bless and curse not." Whichever we choose to do, that is what will come back upon us. Praying a blessing brings peace, life, and health upon ourselves. Speaking ill of those who stand diametrically opposed to our beliefs and political views, wishing wrath to fall upon them, will bring rottenness to our very being, physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. It is a known medical fact that stress, anxiety and anger can cause illness.
It's time to calm our hearts. It's time to pray more and propagate fear and anxiety less. Let's take the fear aspect out of how we communicate and replace it with calm, clarity and confidence. It's time to cease striving and know that He is God (Psalm 46:10 NASB). It's time for Christ-followers to know how to give a defense with meekness and respect (1 Peter 3:15 NASB). Our position in Christ gives us the security we need to live and walk in this hostile world. Remember, we are ambassadors of our homeland. We are eternal citizens of another land. We are in this world, but we are no longer of it. (John 17:13-21) It's time for us to transform our minds. (Romans 12:2)
Won't you join me in speaking truth in love? Let us all sanctify Christ as Lord in our hearts and allow Him free access to our tongue and lives.
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