"Those who talk about others to us will talk about us to others." Author Unknown
How to Handle Conflict and Criticism Wisely Philippians 1:12-18 The Gospel Is Preached 12 Now I want you to know, brethren, that my circumstances have turned out for the greater progress of the gospel, 13 so that my imprisonment in the cause of Christ has become well known throughout the whole praetorian guard and to everyone else, 14 and that most of the brethren, trusting in the Lord because of my imprisonment, have far more courage to speak the word of God without fear. 15 Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; 16 the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; 17 the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice, Did you hear about what Susan told Becky? Do you know how Rob broke up with Kim? You will never guess what is going on between Chris and Debra! How many stories have you heard lately that started like this? Do these statements or questions spark your interest? For some reason, people feel quite comfortable being drawn into discussions about the private matters of others. Gossip is a disease that often runs rampant in the workplace, social circles, and the Church. Not only does this represent a sincere lack of respect for others, it also portrays a glaring spiritual problem. Proverbs 20:19 instructs, "He who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets, therefore do not associate with a gossip." In his famous list of grievous sins, Paul includes gossip as being as dangerous as murder, strife, greed, and hating God. (Romans 1:28-32) Why is it that we so enjoy the intimate details of other people�s lives? Gossip takes our attention away from our own faults and deficiencies. Jesus asked, "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother�s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" (Matthew 7:3). The next time you are tempted to delve into someone else�s privacy, stop and ask God to reveal what He would have you see in your own life. You may discover a "log" that you never noticed before. Copyright � 2000, IN TOUCH Magazine. In Touch Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Your's in Christ Jesus, Biji James, Bangalore Everything you'll ever need on one web page from News and Sport to Email and Music Charts http://uk.my.yahoo.com ----------------------------------------------------- This mail is generated from http://www.jesusyouth.org To subscribe to this mailing list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe from the list send a mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----------------------------------------------------
