Hold Your Tongue

Friday morning as I commuted into the office, I read Jeremiah chapter 29. In this chapter, the Lord promises to restore the children of Israel. Even though their sins were great and they would still be punished, he promises in verses 16-17 that he will fight for them.

But all who devour you will be devoured; all your enemies will go into exile.
Those who plunder you will be plundered; all who make spoil of you I will despoil.
But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds, declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 29:16-17

As I read this verse I thought to myself, What is it about seeing others suffer or fail that causes some folks to throw a party? “Hey did you hear that little Susan is pregnant?” Suddenly, there is a spike in the phone lines as Susan’s challenge becomes the hot topic at everyone’s dinner table. Amazingly, Susan’s phone remains dead silent. No one calls to offer a listening ear, no one cares to care.

I have seen childhood friends walk away from the church for this very reason. They were the front page news for a season, but no one ever took the time to offer up a simple listening ear. It would appear that some were too busy rejoicing in their demise to care how this challenging season may affect their spiritual lives. Though Christ urges us to love one another and the Apostle Paul advises us to share in each others burdens, we have become a heartless generation. Why has the church that was once known for its compassion and love, become a den of HATERS?

The answer is simple. SIN!

Sin causes us to hate on one another and to have no compassion towards each other. We’re so busy caring about self that we can’t take a moment to understand what our brothers and sisters may be enduring. We’re so busy trying to maintain our masks that we can’t help but to rejoice in another’s rough time. Besides, by talking about and rejoicing in their failures – YOU LOOK GOOD RIGHT? NOT! The Lord promises to devour those who devour his children and plunder those who plunder them. Is that juicy gossip or hateration party worth God’s anger? Think about it!

It is time that we as children of the one and only loving God strive to become a real family. One that shares in each others burdens and rejoices in each others joys. One that lifts everyone up and not a select few. One that loves one another not because of who they are or the status that they hold, but because of whose they are. Sounds like a dream? It isn’t! The patriarchs/matriarchs of the early church were known for being a body of believers that truly care for one another. The rich sold their goods to help feed the poor amongst them. They cared for both friend and stranger. We can get there again if we seek God with all our hearts and with all our souls. This is what God calls us to do.

Today, find a way to show someone else that you care not because it will bring you something in return, but because Christ lives in you.

Memory Text:

Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God. Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God, But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love. – 1 John 4:7,8

Prayer Prompt:
Lord, thank you for reminding me that I ought to love my friends, family and all those that I encounter. Show me where I am failing in this part of my spiritual growth and strengthen me to change…

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