Parker Inspirations

Why is there strife with others? Strife is caused when there is deceit in a relationship. When you remove deceit there is peace and harmony. I came upon this in something I read from a preacher who wrote a devotion on removing deceit. His key verse was Revelation 12:9 “And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceived the whole world; he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Deceit is a tool of the devil. The definition: the action or practice of deceiving someone by concealing or misrepresenting the truth.

 I started thinking about some of the things that have happened over and over. When I read this article I realized that deceit is the root of some of these problems. This ought not to be between Christians.

Over the years I have apologized for things that I have done and things I have not done. It is those times that I have taken the fall for that I look at today. You see sometimes people make themselves look good by saying or doing things that are not completely true. When this happens it causes division. As I have stated several times in days past, I want to live peaceably with all men. This is why I take the blame and don’t try to make the situation worse.

The question is why do people need that validation with others to make themselves appear to be more than they are? I suppose we all have at some time or another needed to feel special. Wanting to be accepted is not a wrong feeling. It is when we resort to deceit that makes it wrong. We do not need to resort to making others look bad to make ourselves look good just so people with think good of us.

I am reminded that no matter what others think of us we have a God that only thinks good things of us. (Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”) If we are trying to be like Christ we also should think thoughts of peace and not of evil toward each other. Then we will be more forgiving (Ephesians 4:32”And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”) like God is.

Bottom line we should not be deceitful toward others, we should have love, joy and peace.