Corona Devo 1063

Ever been around boys (of any age)?  They don't concern themselves with talking about other boys...they are not (usually) comparative that way, and would prefer to be competitive instead.  They are often contented with jokes and sounds, rather than defaming other guys or discussing their shortfalls.

But...ever been around women (of any age)?  For some sinful reason, our conversations often seem to pick-a-little, talk-a-little, pick some more and talk, talk, talk about other women.  We simmer into a boil as we digress and regress into unbecoming chatter about other women.  

It's a terrible habit and yet girls in elementary school don't need to be taught how and even elderly church biddies can't quite fully withdraw.  We all still fall to condemning others from time to time.  We have this sinful draw to make ourselves feel good by chirping back and forth and making someone else feel bad.

It's nasty.  It's not Godly.  And may the Lord help us turn from condemning each other today.  

Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.  (11) So, let's stop condemning each other.  Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall... So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.  ~Romans 14:10-11, 19

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I'm someone that likes to be a part of things...even if I might not exactly have the qualified credentials to be-a-part of "the thing".  For instance, the role listed after my name in four years of high school playbills was always "townsperson".  I never had (or deserved!) a lead, but I did have lots of fun.  And when studying Romans 14 today, a song came back to my mind.

"Pick-a-Little Talk-a-Little" is sung on stage in the play, "Music Man" by a gaggle of girls who are chattering and discrediting another woman.  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZPLtZQlLqg 

It's the first thing I thought of when I read these verses.

It's also the first thing I thought of when I read these verses and thought of myself.

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God breaks into our (side and snide) conversations today.  

And He knows that first, He must break into our hearts:

So, let's stop condemning each other.  Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall... So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.  ~Romans 14:11, 19

The women in the play were jealous of a librarian lady in their town that none of them had taken the time or effort to get to know...so they picked-at-her and talked-a-little, and a-lot about her.

Hmmm, something is ringing my feminine "bell" in relation to that.

Don't we do the same thing when we feel in competition or intimidated by someone?  Or even if we just want to have "power" over another?

God's got a sound and a command for us today in relation to our "picking-at-others" and "talking-about-them": Shush.

Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God.  (11) So, let's stop condemning each other.  Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.  So then, let us aim for harmony in the church and try to build each other up.  ~Romans 14:10-11, 19

The parts that I played in our high school productions were lesser-parts (for good reason!), but God's playbill is not like that.  He has no small parts or insignificant people.  No one comes to Him that He has labeled a "townsperson" so that they can fade into the background.  

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  ~Galatians 3:28

For God does not show favoritism. ~Romans 2:11

We are all lead-roles to our Heavenly Father.  He loves each of us intimately.  And He has cast each of us in the exact role/life situation that we find ourselves in today.  Let's love ourselves...God does! 

And let's stop picking on others.  God does not want us picking apart our brothers and sisters who we share the stage with.  

So, let's stop condemning each other today, and let us aim for harmony.  

That's a role we can all be cast in.

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com