“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled (Hebrews 12:14-15).
Some people love to gossip, even in church. They sow seeds of discord among brethren and attempt to pollute the whole church with strife. That’ not right. It’s unsafe to hang around such folks for they’re the type that spread resentment and rancour. Many churches have had troubles because of them.
As Christians, we ought to provide a sense of security for one another. I like the idea of living freely among God’s people as the Bible admonishes us to. That’s how it ought to be. I shouldn’t want to be on my guard always because of some negative reports I heard about others. That’s why it’s important to walk in love because love always believes the best about others.
When you hear negative reports about people, your reaction is what determines whether you’re walking in love or not. Always be ready to believe only the best about everyone. Never write anyone off, just because of what you heard he or she did. When you hear a fellow believer defaming or tale-bearing about another brother or sister, correct him or her immediately. We often make the mistake of keeping quiet when we know people are saying the wrong things about others. By such we become accomplices because we gave them a hearing ear. If you close your ears, they’ll close their mouths.
Jesus chose to believe the best in Peter though He knew he was going to deny Him. He said to him, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren” (Luke 22:31-32). You also can choose to believe the best in others today; in fact, it ought to be your lifestyle!
Prayer
Dear heavenly Father, I have set my eyes on you and your Word alone. Let my heart be completely overwhelmed by your love for me so that when I look at others, I’ll only see them through your eyes of love, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Further Study
Romans 5:8-10
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
(Taken by permission from Christ Embassy Church , aka Believer’s LoveWorld Ministries , Lagos, Nigeria. www.ChristEmbassy.org )
