TOXIC PEOPLE
This devotion has been on my heart for a week or two, but God hadn't completed the direction for it until now. He kept telling me two words: toxic people.
Who or what they were I didn't know. Now I am going to share with you what He taught me. Toxic people are people who are infected and contagious. They spread and infect others around them with their negative, judgmental, critical and harsh personality. Before you start thinking of people you know right now that you consider toxic, judge yourself in the light of God's word to see how much toxin lay within you. In my mind, everyone is toxic to one degree or another because no one has all of the flesh removed. This is why God is after our hearts to change us - where we are - rather than us waiting for Him to change all the others around us.
God wants to change us all into the image of His dear Son. We only have power to change ourselves. Ultimately, no matter how much conviction God pours into our heart or how much His hand tries to change us, the decision to be reformed in our personality, actions, and character lies with us.
I know a young man who is not saved but has been in church for a number of years throughout his life. When anyone tries to talk to him about the Lord, this boy shuts them off all the time. Finally, after months of walking before this young man as Christ would want him to walk, the boy told said: The only reason I would return to the church is if I wanted to get hurt. Ouch!
But how true this is. The Bible commands us - rather Jesus commanded us – in Matthew 7:1 to not judge other people. This includes their motives, their ability to change, their heart, and anything else. Do not judge anyone. Period. Nothing in between. Nothing more to say. Regardless what you "perceive", you are not called to judge. Regardless of what you think that person needs to change, you don't judge, criticize, or form a negative opinion of them.
This is natural, carnal living but God is calling for us to become crucified, because what you see may not be what truth is. For example, in Acts 2, after the 120 had been filled with the Holy Spirit, they left the upper room and entered the streets. The people in the streets saw them staggering under the influence of the Spirit's power on them and said they were drunk. They passed judgment based on what their limited understanding of God was, and based on what they saw in the natural. The problem? They were wrong. Peter addressed them saying, "These men are not drunk but are filled with the Holy Spirit."
The Bible is full of examples of when the things that people perceived or judged was wrong. It's also chock full of people who lived critical, negative lives and infected the lives of those around them. Consider reading the books of I and II Kings. You notice that when a righteous man became King, Israel pleased God. They obeyed Him. But when a man arose as King who did evil in the sight of the Lord, all of Israel was infected and did evil right along side him. They knew better, but chose to follow their impulses rather than obey the Word of the Lord. Then they would find themselves in bondage and God would raise up a deliverer when they cried out for help.
Daily we also, like those Kings, lead by our example: to our families, the people we work with or live near. They see our actions, good or evil, and it begins to infiltrate the whole. Jesus likened it to leaven. It said all it took was a little bit of yeast to cause dough to rise. So it also only takes a little contention, a little un-forgiveness, a little judgment, a little criticism, a little negative thinking and you and those around you become infected. Toxins ooze out instead of the life and glory of God.
Sadly, many of the body of Christ never see the poison in their mouths and hearts. They won't cry out for God to change them because they are too busy seeing the need for others to be changed. I have been guilty of this and admit it. But in admitting it, please also heed my warning. It's a path that leads away from God even if you are on a worship team, are active in church or pastor a church. From the pulpit to the pew, no one is exempt from becoming toxic.
I deal with this continually in ministry. God desires to change me and He uses situations in my life to accomplish this. I am not the same person I was a year ago. I have grown and changed. Some changes were easy while others were much more difficult. The focus of any season of change was on me individually.
If I am dealing with people that are more difficult than what I like being around, I can't just pray and wait for them to change. I HAVE TO CHANGE. God may be dealing with them. They may be changing or they may be resisting the change, but the ONLY thing I have to answer for is how I respond. Do I allow God to make me more like Him or do I look for other people to help me with a matter? Do I yield to His molding in me or demand my way and make everyone miserable unless they surrender to me? Is my presence soothing or does it causes others to feel that they are walking on eggshells?
As I said in the beginning, don't read this and think of all the people you know that may need to hear these words. Place the magnifying glass over your own life. I do. Daily. How is my life lining up with scripture? Am I obeying His word when pressure is applied or do I wriggle around like a worm on a hook, looking for someone else to change so I don't have to?
It's easy to look at the Ten Commandments and think you are living well. Probably so if you aren't killing someone, coveting or committing adultery. But what about the rest of the word of God? Look at these few scriptures and see how your heart stands:
"Avoid godless and foolish discussions which lead to more and more ungodliness. This kind of talk spreads like cancer." 2 Timothy 2:16
"The Lord's servants must not quarrel but MUST be kind to EVERYONE" 2 Timothy 2:24
"Judge no one unless you yourself be judged." Matt 7:1
"But I (Jesus) say, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. In that way you will be ACTING LIKE TRUE CHILDREN of your Father in Heaven." Matt. 5:44 (Are you acting like His child... Would those around you say that you are?)
"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37
"...blessed are all those who hear the word of God and put it into practice." Luke 11:28
"You must be compassionate, just as your Father in Heaven is compassionate." Luke 6:36
"Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled. Such people claim that they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live." Titus 2:15
"Believers MUST NOT speak evil of ANYONE and they MUST avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to EVERYONE." Titus 3:2
I don't know about you, but when I read how God expects His children to act; what His Son Jesus showed them, in person, how to live, it makes me realize two things:
1. I still fall short and need more of God
2. I can't judge anyone else because I myself will stand in judgment (because I still fall short) There are also scriptures that you NEVER want to become an example of: "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. Their worship (this means they are worshipping in some manor) is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man made teachings." Mark 7:7 (They are worshipping; God is not accepting it) "So why do you call me Lord when you will not obey me?" Luke 6:46 I'm pleading with each and every reader to place their heart and mouth under the magnifying glass and judge themselves. The Bible tells us if we will judge ourselves (correctly) we won't be judged. I'm all for that!
Love EVERYONE. Each family member; regardless of their actions for evil. Never repay evil actions with an attitude of your own. Bless them and be compassionate to them. The people you work with, live near, or come into contact with should see a glorious reflection of the face of Jesus coming from us. Stephen, in Acts 7, had a face shining like that of an angel. Some may say to me that at the time that happened, Stephen was being stoned, so the glory and grace of God was being manifested. I would have to say that you never know how you will respond to someone beating you to death until you get to that place, but if you explode when someone crosses you, has a different opinion than you, lies or deceives to or about you then there is no way you would have grace to bless someone killing you.
You have to learn to show grace to those around you in your daily life in order to have learned blessing and forgiveness for the bigger and more trying circumstances. Grace, love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness and blessing those who are making our lives a more difficult is not natural. It requires crucifixion and staying in the word until the word stays in you. Stop going through the word of God as though it was a duty you must perform to be acceptable to God. Instead, get in His Word, learn of Him and let His word go through you.
Toxic people will always be stumbling blocks. They are in the church and in the world. They always have been and always will be. But those of us who call ourselves Christians have a compass to our actions. If we'll line up with His word, I believe more people would line up to find Jesus. We would make finding and knowing Him irresistible!
Michelle Molina
This devotion has been on my heart for a week or two, but God hadn't completed the direction for it until now. He kept telling me two words: toxic people.
Who or what they were I didn't know. Now I am going to share with you what He taught me. Toxic people are people who are infected and contagious. They spread and infect others around them with their negative, judgmental, critical and harsh personality. Before you start thinking of people you know right now that you consider toxic, judge yourself in the light of God's word to see how much toxin lay within you. In my mind, everyone is toxic to one degree or another because no one has all of the flesh removed. This is why God is after our hearts to change us - where we are - rather than us waiting for Him to change all the others around us.
God wants to change us all into the image of His dear Son. We only have power to change ourselves. Ultimately, no matter how much conviction God pours into our heart or how much His hand tries to change us, the decision to be reformed in our personality, actions, and character lies with us.
I know a young man who is not saved but has been in church for a number of years throughout his life. When anyone tries to talk to him about the Lord, this boy shuts them off all the time. Finally, after months of walking before this young man as Christ would want him to walk, the boy told said: The only reason I would return to the church is if I wanted to get hurt. Ouch!
But how true this is. The Bible commands us - rather Jesus commanded us – in Matthew 7:1 to not judge other people. This includes their motives, their ability to change, their heart, and anything else. Do not judge anyone. Period. Nothing in between. Nothing more to say. Regardless what you "perceive", you are not called to judge. Regardless of what you think that person needs to change, you don't judge, criticize, or form a negative opinion of them.
This is natural, carnal living but God is calling for us to become crucified, because what you see may not be what truth is. For example, in Acts 2, after the 120 had been filled with the Holy Spirit, they left the upper room and entered the streets. The people in the streets saw them staggering under the influence of the Spirit's power on them and said they were drunk. They passed judgment based on what their limited understanding of God was, and based on what they saw in the natural. The problem? They were wrong. Peter addressed them saying, "These men are not drunk but are filled with the Holy Spirit."
The Bible is full of examples of when the things that people perceived or judged was wrong. It's also chock full of people who lived critical, negative lives and infected the lives of those around them. Consider reading the books of I and II Kings. You notice that when a righteous man became King, Israel pleased God. They obeyed Him. But when a man arose as King who did evil in the sight of the Lord, all of Israel was infected and did evil right along side him. They knew better, but chose to follow their impulses rather than obey the Word of the Lord. Then they would find themselves in bondage and God would raise up a deliverer when they cried out for help.
Daily we also, like those Kings, lead by our example: to our families, the people we work with or live near. They see our actions, good or evil, and it begins to infiltrate the whole. Jesus likened it to leaven. It said all it took was a little bit of yeast to cause dough to rise. So it also only takes a little contention, a little un-forgiveness, a little judgment, a little criticism, a little negative thinking and you and those around you become infected. Toxins ooze out instead of the life and glory of God.
Sadly, many of the body of Christ never see the poison in their mouths and hearts. They won't cry out for God to change them because they are too busy seeing the need for others to be changed. I have been guilty of this and admit it. But in admitting it, please also heed my warning. It's a path that leads away from God even if you are on a worship team, are active in church or pastor a church. From the pulpit to the pew, no one is exempt from becoming toxic.
I deal with this continually in ministry. God desires to change me and He uses situations in my life to accomplish this. I am not the same person I was a year ago. I have grown and changed. Some changes were easy while others were much more difficult. The focus of any season of change was on me individually.
If I am dealing with people that are more difficult than what I like being around, I can't just pray and wait for them to change. I HAVE TO CHANGE. God may be dealing with them. They may be changing or they may be resisting the change, but the ONLY thing I have to answer for is how I respond. Do I allow God to make me more like Him or do I look for other people to help me with a matter? Do I yield to His molding in me or demand my way and make everyone miserable unless they surrender to me? Is my presence soothing or does it causes others to feel that they are walking on eggshells?
As I said in the beginning, don't read this and think of all the people you know that may need to hear these words. Place the magnifying glass over your own life. I do. Daily. How is my life lining up with scripture? Am I obeying His word when pressure is applied or do I wriggle around like a worm on a hook, looking for someone else to change so I don't have to?
It's easy to look at the Ten Commandments and think you are living well. Probably so if you aren't killing someone, coveting or committing adultery. But what about the rest of the word of God? Look at these few scriptures and see how your heart stands:
"Avoid godless and foolish discussions which lead to more and more ungodliness. This kind of talk spreads like cancer." 2 Timothy 2:16
"The Lord's servants must not quarrel but MUST be kind to EVERYONE" 2 Timothy 2:24
"Judge no one unless you yourself be judged." Matt 7:1
"But I (Jesus) say, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. In that way you will be ACTING LIKE TRUE CHILDREN of your Father in Heaven." Matt. 5:44 (Are you acting like His child... Would those around you say that you are?)
"Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you. If you forgive others, you will be forgiven." Luke 6:37
"...blessed are all those who hear the word of God and put it into practice." Luke 11:28
"You must be compassionate, just as your Father in Heaven is compassionate." Luke 6:36
"Everything is pure to those whose hearts are pure. But nothing is pure to those who are corrupt and unbelieving, because their minds and consciences are defiled. Such people claim that they know God, but they deny Him by the way they live." Titus 2:15
"Believers MUST NOT speak evil of ANYONE and they MUST avoid quarreling. Instead, they should be gentle and show true humility to EVERYONE." Titus 3:2
I don't know about you, but when I read how God expects His children to act; what His Son Jesus showed them, in person, how to live, it makes me realize two things:
1. I still fall short and need more of God
2. I can't judge anyone else because I myself will stand in judgment (because I still fall short) There are also scriptures that you NEVER want to become an example of: "These people honor me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. Their worship (this means they are worshipping in some manor) is a farce, for they replace God's commands with their own man made teachings." Mark 7:7 (They are worshipping; God is not accepting it) "So why do you call me Lord when you will not obey me?" Luke 6:46 I'm pleading with each and every reader to place their heart and mouth under the magnifying glass and judge themselves. The Bible tells us if we will judge ourselves (correctly) we won't be judged. I'm all for that!
Love EVERYONE. Each family member; regardless of their actions for evil. Never repay evil actions with an attitude of your own. Bless them and be compassionate to them. The people you work with, live near, or come into contact with should see a glorious reflection of the face of Jesus coming from us. Stephen, in Acts 7, had a face shining like that of an angel. Some may say to me that at the time that happened, Stephen was being stoned, so the glory and grace of God was being manifested. I would have to say that you never know how you will respond to someone beating you to death until you get to that place, but if you explode when someone crosses you, has a different opinion than you, lies or deceives to or about you then there is no way you would have grace to bless someone killing you.
You have to learn to show grace to those around you in your daily life in order to have learned blessing and forgiveness for the bigger and more trying circumstances. Grace, love, mercy, compassion, forgiveness and blessing those who are making our lives a more difficult is not natural. It requires crucifixion and staying in the word until the word stays in you. Stop going through the word of God as though it was a duty you must perform to be acceptable to God. Instead, get in His Word, learn of Him and let His word go through you.
Toxic people will always be stumbling blocks. They are in the church and in the world. They always have been and always will be. But those of us who call ourselves Christians have a compass to our actions. If we'll line up with His word, I believe more people would line up to find Jesus. We would make finding and knowing Him irresistible!
Michelle Molina
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