Promotion

Love you all, praying for you,
 
I just love God’s Word.  It ignites sobering questions.  What do you promote?  You’re promoting something…  Proverbs 17:9 – He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats a matter separates close friends.  How often do you mention when someone disappoints you or offends you?  Do you ask others, “Is it just me or are they being rude.  Was that offensive? Or am I missing something?  Did that disappoint you?  What foolish and worthless questions.  Three things will happen, #1 – They’ll say, “No.”  And you will look petty or foolish or both.  Or #2 ) It didn’t cross their mind before you said something, “But now that you mention it, that is kind of rude, how disappointing, that’s because they just think they’re better than everyone…”  And you have just won them over – not to Salvation and Obedience, but to gossip and slander, and offense taking.  You have succeeded in inciting division among brothers – which God hates.  Or #3 – They will say “I was thinking the same thing!” And you have just encouraged them in repeating offenses.  So as soon as you’re done with this conversation, they will surely repeat the matter to someone else, multiplying the dissension and division that separates friends and family which disgusts God.  Good one!  The way you cover over an offense is don’t mention it ever again. Let it go!  If someone else does… use your voice to change the conversation to believe the best, to give them the benefit of the doubt, or create the doubt that they meant to offend…  We don’t know what they meant or what they are going through.  And God may have told them to do something different, or differently than your opinion.  Shhh!  Not your business.  Instead redirect the conversation to Praise and Faith and Testimony and Life!  It’s covering over any offence that tries to creep in… that ‘weed seed’ the devil tries to sow through willing suckers who love to talk about the shortcomings and failures of others, while completely ignorant of their own.  What are you promoting?  You are promoting something, either you are promoting love, or you are promoting division and dissension among brothers and sisters.  Praying that you will stop yourself before you ever repeat a failure of another. Even something that disappointed or offended you.  It is fruitless to do so.  At least it is good fruit – less.  Praying that you will use your influence to believe the best, give the benefit of the doubt, and always redirect those offense-repeat conversations to something else.  To life and praise and hope and promise. That you will always be the bringer of good news.  That the abundant life of God’s Love will always be promoted by your words.  God will see and hear, He will be pleased, and what you sow, you will surely reap. 
 
Love you all,
dad