That reminds me that I actually should be reading God's blog post every morning, first thing! Now, that might be the start of the solution. Why is that so difficult for me to do? Well, I am NOT a morning person, but I am without excuse and so are you.
The biggest step in stopping lashon hara in it's tracks is to:
1. Study God's Word, daily....several times daily.
2. Stay in constant communication with God.
3. Listen only to music and media that is positive and edifying.
4. Be on a constant lookout for ways to positively impact the lives of others.
5. Ask God to bless everyone in your sphere, naming those people personally.
Gee, that sounds pretty easy. Well, it really isn't. We live in a negative world. A lot of people live in an extremely negative family situation. News, co-workers, family members, friends, social media posts, television, radio........negativity is EVERYWHERE!
Positivity is a lifestyle. We must make a conscious effort to change ourselves. Start with baby steps. Get in the Word and communication with Him first. It takes commitment and continuity. Start with secluding yourself for a short devotional every morning. That could be 10 minutes. Then, rather than responding, try listening before speaking. As someone in your life spews forth a major amount of negativity, rather than listening to the actual words, listen to the hurt behind them.
Do you think there isn't hurt behind hurting words? I know in my own life that almost every time I speak or think hurtful or negative things it is due to a hurt in my own life. I may not even realize it. I feel bad about myself and want to feel better about me, so I find someone who is a little worse than me to justify my feelings.
Ah, there is that word justify. We want justice, but is that what God wants us to want? There are at least 8 references in the Word about vengeance being God's job, not ours. As we go through our day, surrounding ourselves with the most scripture, conversation with God and uplifting music, why not speak a blessing on everyone you come into contact with. You can't always do that externally, but you can ask God to bless them. If we are blessing, we can't curse. It may not change them, but for certain it will change us!
James said in his book chapter 3, verse 10: "Out of the mouth come both blessing and cursing. Brothers and sisters this should not be so!"
I am going to suggest a book to read on this subject. It is called, 'Thank God It's Monday.' This book impacted my thought process. It teaches us how to look at life and people from a God perspective. If God is slow to anger, (there are 14 references to this in the Bible), it is out of His great love for mankind.....ALL of them. The world needs more love, not more criticism and sarcasm.
Take a step with me, (I really need this), and make a change. Michael Jackson, regardless of what you think about the man, sang about several ways to do this. In the song, Man in the Mirror:
I'm going to make a change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right
As I turned up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind, pretending not to see their need?
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind ya know?
'Cause they got nowhere to go, that's why I want you to know
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I've been a victim of a selfish kinda love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be, really mean, pretending that they're not alone?
A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed out dream
(Washed out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya see
'Cause they got no place to be that's why I'm starting with me
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror, oh yeah
I'm asking him to change his ways, yeah
(Come on, change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart
(You can't close your, your mind)
Then you close your mind
With the man in the mirror, oh yeah
(That man, that man, that man)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself then make that change
For once in my life
It's gonna feel real good
Gonna make a difference, gonna make it right
As I turned up the collar on my favorite winter coat
This wind is blowin' my mind
I see the kids in the street with not enough to eat
Who am I to be blind, pretending not to see their need?
A summer's disregard, a broken bottle top
And one man's soul
They follow each other on the wind ya know?
'Cause they got nowhere to go, that's why I want you to know
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I've been a victim of a selfish kinda love
It's time that I realize
There are some with no home, not a nickel to loan
Could it be, really mean, pretending that they're not alone?
A willow deeply scarred, somebody's broken heart
And a washed out dream
(Washed out dream)
They follow the pattern of the wind ya see
'Cause they got no place to be that's why I'm starting with me
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make a change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror
I'm asking him to change his ways
And no message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make that change
I'm starting with the man in the mirror, oh yeah
I'm asking him to change his ways, yeah
(Come on, change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself and then make the change
You gotta get it right, while you got the time
'Cause when you close your heart
(You can't close your, your mind)
Then you close your mind
With the man in the mirror, oh yeah
(That man, that man, that man)
I'm asking him to change his ways
(Change)
No message could have been any clearer
If you wanna make the world a better place
Take a look at yourself then make that change
Read more at http://www.songlyrics.com/michael-jackson/man-in-the-mirror-lyrics/#gcvoH9M53Kv4HKy9.99
So the next step is to join with others in making a change! Read and listen to the words of the song:
We Are The World
There comes a time when we hear a certain call
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And its time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
When the world must come together as one
There are people dying
And its time to lend a hand to life
The greatest gift of all
We can't go on pretending day by day
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of God's great big family
And the truth, you know,
Love is all we need
That someone, somewhere will soon make a change
We are all a part of God's great big family
And the truth, you know,
Love is all we need
[Chorus]
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
Its true we'll make a better day
Just you and me
We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
So lets start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
Its true we'll make a better day
Just you and me
Send them your heart so they'll know that someone cares
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand
And their lives will be stronger and free
As God has shown us by turning stones to bread
So we all must lend a helping hand
[Chorus]
When you're down and out, there seems no hope at all
But if you just believe there's no way we can fall
Let us realize that a change can only come
When we stand together as one
But if you just believe there's no way we can fall
Let us realize that a change can only come
When we stand together as one
[Chorus x2]
Songwriters
RICHIE, LIONEL / JACKSON, MICHAEL
RICHIE, LIONEL / JACKSON, MICHAEL
Published by
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
What if, instead of speaking words of what America should do to ISIS or other regimes who are out to harm, we prayed for God to bless them instead?
Start reading God's word, communicating with Him constantly, choosing only uplifting music and programming to listen to, and asking God to bless everyone you come into contact with on a daily basis. Romans 12:14 tells us; "Bless those who persecute you. Bless and do not curse.
Start tomorrow with first blessing God, then asking Him to bless your enemies, those who seek to harm, those who are negative Nellies, those who speak harshly at you, those who use sarcasm to make people laugh at you or someone else. Use scripture to bless: Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28, 35; Romans 12:14; 1 Peter 3:9.....just to name a few.
As I go to my Father asking His forgiveness for my thoughts and my mouth I ask that He would bless you in all you say and do. Shalom!
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