Friday, July 11, 2014

ACE #249: Just One Ounce of Poison

The other day, I was sitting outside on the bench getting some fresh air.  When I came back in my office, I caught a glimpse of something very small and seemingly insignificant.  Upon closer inspection, it was a little black spider.  I jumped up so quickly and smacked that thing to floor, I know I knocked it dizzy!  All I could think about was how much damage even a tiny bit of poison could do to me.  (Spider-Man, while entertaining, is a myth!)

In the past, both my husband and I have been bitten by spiders.  That small ounce of poison wreaked havoc on our bodies.  My husband's immune system was strong enough to fight it off in 48 hours, but not without the fever and chills; I wasn't so lucky.  The infection spread rapidly from a tiny spot into a huge red spot on my chest, I got an instant headache with dizziness, and spiked a high temperature.  I had to go to the emergency room for a shot and some antibiotics.

This situation reminded me of how poisonous gossip, malice, rumors, slander, lies, evil speech and revenge can be to organizations, relationships, churches and even families - just one ounce of poison can cause so much dissension and can spread quickly.  It is such an unnecessary tangled web that can be so easily avoided by choosing not to do any of those things and by being intentional about the people who make up what is known as your "inner circle".   Even one person in your circle with these qualities can cause strife and confusion.  Unfortunately, you will spend much more time trying to untangle the mess than it took to cause the mess. 

Resist the drama...it will save you a lot of time and energy.

 
Leviticus 19:16
"'Do not go about spreading slander among your people. "'Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD.
 
James 4:11
Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.

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