Bitter Roots grow deep....

See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows
up to cause trouble and defile many. Hebrews 12:15

There is a saying that "one bad apple spoils the whole bunch". The same is
true in our relationships with others. As we go through life we are
inevitably going to come up against others that are going to cause us
stress. And if we are perfectly honest with ourselves, we irritate others
as well. But do we follow the teachings of Christ and turn the other cheek
or do we become combative? Do we confront the person that has offended us,
or that we have offended, to work it out, or do we seek consolation or
confirmation of our feelings with a third party? Life would be so much
simpler if when we offend or become offended, we would simply go to the
person that we have offended or has offended us and just straighten things
out. When we involve others, we get their opinions on the other person to
make us feel better or justified in our behavior. Now we have caused that
person to stand against another and if we are Christians, we are turning one
brother against another and we cause that person to sin. We now have two
people that we are responsible for in God's eyes. But it never ends there.
Now the person or persons that we have talked to, talk to others to get
support for the things that they have said, and before too long, with
everyone adding their own venom to the situation, you have bitter roots
firmly planted against several people. Now there is accountability for many
souls in God's eyes. Why do we do this to each other? And of particular
concern, I have seen Pastor's do this with the very congregation that God
has entrusted them with! They are so concerned with their "image" and their
"control" of the people, that they launch a rumor campaign against anyone
who dares disagree with them and then just stand back and watch as the
entire congregation takes sides. This is just plain vile in the eyes of God
and we and they will answer to God for this behavior.

If a rumor has been started, bitterness is taking root. It is like a weed.
If you don't pull the first one up by the root, it won't take long before
your beautiful garden is being choked off by weeds. They will choke out
everything in the garden that is good and lovely. And if you plant a rumor
of lies in someone else's mouth, you will be the one to choke on them! We
know better than this. This is not Christian behavior. Can you picture
Christ doing this? If you try and picture Him gossiping and tearing someone
down, it would be too ugly to even comprehend! And isn't it our assignment
from Him to love each other as we love ourselves? ( Matthew 22:39 ) Why do
we allow this bitterness into our lives? Why don't we recognize immediately
that it is the demons of hell that create such discord? And if we find that
ugly lies and rumors have been spread about us, instead of running to
someone and returning the hatred and rumors, why don't we hit the floor on
our knees and ask God to forgive those who are speaking ill about us? We
should ask God to intercede and redeem us and our good name. If you take
part, you become part. Check the bottom of your soul everyday an make sure
that you don't have any bitter roots starting to grow. If you do, cut them
out to the root with prayer and confession to the Father so that He may find
you blameless. And remember the next time you seek God for a need, is He
going to find a soul that is as a beautiful garden, or is He going to find
nothing but a patch of weeds? God cannot fellowship in a garden of weeds.
So know that before you can get any blessings from the Father, you have to
repent, and get out the shovel and dig up those weeds....Patti