30 DAYS TO TAMING YOUR TONGUE - DAY 5

Day 5     THE DIVISIVE TONGUE

Divisiveness is a terrible sin, for it prevents the unity Jesus so ardently prayed for during his final days on earth. It also thwarts the effectiveness that results when people work together in harmony.

Divide and conquer is one of Satan’s most effective strategies for hindering the effectiveness of any effort undertaken by two or more people. He knows what can happen when people work in harmony. The result is power, synergy and blessings. Therefore, he will make EVERY effort to bring division.

Sometimes it is hard to believe there are people who deliberately engage in bringing dissension.  There people who like to pick fights too and it seems to make them a happier person.

In Proverbs chapter 6, it list 7 things that the Lord detest and one of them is anyone who stirs up dissention among others. As believers, we are urges by Paul to keep “the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”. Yet, keeping peace does require tremendous effort at times. “We cannot afford to be ignorant of Satan’s tactics to keep us at odds. He will cause us to become offended over a harmless statement, to read more meaning into a comment that the speaker intended, to ascribe impure motives to someone’s’ behavior or to believe a lie”

The Holy Spirit will surely reveal the truth of a situation. When we rely on Him, He will direct us into a peaceful resolution of our issues. In fact, some of our conflicts can become stepping stones to stronger relationships when we make a commitment to understand each other and to refrain from divisiveness

Have you use your tongue to sow discord? Anytime you tell another person something NEGATIVE that someone ELSE has said about them, YOU are being divisive. OUCH!!!! That bears repeating.

ANYTIME YOU TELL ANOTHER PERSON SOMETHING NEGATIVE THAT SOMEONE ELSE HAS SAID ABOUT THEM, YOU ARE BEING DIVISIVE.

This is not to say you should avoid warning a person about another who is not acting in their best interest. However you must be honest about your underlying motive. Are you trying to gain favor? Or maybe you are using your own feelings about that person at the expense of another. Whatever your reason it is still the same and a relationship will be damages and GOD will be displeased

Not only are we to refrain from causing division, we must also become active agents of peace, using our best efforts to reconcile parties in conflict..

READINGS AND REFLECTIONS

PROVERBS 6: 16-19      PROVERBS 29:22  EPHESIANS 4:3

1 PETER 3:8                   JAMES 3:18

1)   List the 7 things God detest in Proverbs 6:16-17. Circle the three that are committed with the tongue.

2)  Have you ever had a relationship ruined because of someone else’s divisiveness?

3)  Are you aware of two or more persons who are in conflict? Ask God to give you the wisdom to play the role of peace-maker.