IT'S HARD TO KEEP UP
GOSSIP AND FAMILY FEUDS
IF YOU ONLY
THINK ON THESE THINGS:
Phillippians 4:8, 3:18, 19d
- whatever is true
- whatever is noble
- whatever is right
- whatever is pure
- whatever is lovely
- whatever is admirable
- anything excellent
- anything praiseworthy
Think on these things.
This advice is as old as the Bible - very early on in the recorded history of the Bible. Yet, somehow, it remains one of the most self-excused will of God. If when tempted to think on the "problem" which underlies a family feud - or seems to call for a feuding response - you turn away and think [and talk] about only what is true, noble, right [to focus on], pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy - no matter how little or insignificant that may be compared to the problems or perception of trouble - and if you keep up that practice of turning your thoughts from the topic or person of the feud to the better attributes - the devil, rebuked, will finally flee. Your desire to respond in kind by contnuing the feud will die from lack of attention and fuel. Christ heart in you will become overwhelmed with compassion - even compassionate sorrow - for the souls and lives of those who before were your trial and you will find the trial more easy to bear. In fact, you likely will eventually find the trial ceases or elsewise goes away.
As to GOSSIP! Well it's hard to gossip about what is good. In fact sharing the good is praise, blessing, and encouragement - not gossip at all. If you only think on the true, noble, right [to focus on], pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy, then your mind has no fodder in it for gossip. Remember, "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speakest." And since the heart contains the seeds for the mind it is equally true that "from the abundance of the mind the mouth speakest." That is why the mouth of the gossip condemns the speaker and the silence of the wise bring forth respect and honor.
The Antecdote For Gossip and Family Feuds
THINK ON THESE THINGS!
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Great thought for today. Biblical. Practical. And so needed. God would get so much glory if I would just stop self-excusing myself...AND the quality of my life would increase. So, why do I resist this win-win? Is it because I can't claim it as my own idea? Or because I'm addicted to the "high" of negativity and complaining? Somehow this draws my thoughts to Deuteronomy 30:19-20a - "This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him."
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