Bless and Not Curse

Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:14
 
Ouch! Are you being persecuted? Have you been persecuted?
 
My definition of persecution is wide, from worst to least: Physical abuse, mental abuse, spiritual abuse, condemnation, vilification, gossip, maligning your character, vindictive verbal attacks, ostracision, rejection, hatred, dislike, envy, jealousy.
 
Ever been persecuted? I think we could all say, at one time, at one hand, we have been persecuted.
 
So, Paul tells us to bless these people. How do we do that? Possibly the simplest way would be not to retaliate, not to gossip back, not to defend ourselves, not to allow hatred and revengeful thoughts enter our head and heart.
 
This is a challenge when we will have a whole lot of people fuelling the fire with: 'Did you hear?'; 'Did you know the latest?'
 
I have this happen in my life and I invariably will hear things that could inflame my heart, however I have to choose to pray and release blessing on my enemy. If I do that it gives them and the gossips nowhere to go. Amen!
 
A handy thing for me to do is to guard my heart by making a decision I will not malign, gossip or destroy. After all, I have a buddy, the Lord God Almighty who wants to go into the fray for me. Amen!

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