Bible Reading: Genesis 9:18-28
We all have opportunities to make people look bad. We hear rumours and we don’t know for sure if they are true but we spread them. It could be maybe you’re just telling what you heard, maybe you know something about a person that is true; they made a mistake. It’s easy to justify telling that because it’s the truth but there are a lot of things which are true that we don’t need to tell. We should do our best to never show people in an unflattering light. 1 Peter 3:10, “If you want to enjoy true life and have only good days, then avoid saying anything hurtful, and never let a lie come out of your mouth.”We live in a society that’s filled with rumours, gossips and innuendos. People love to get things startup. They have no problem repeating problems they know are half true. On purpose they’d leave out certain details just to prove their point and if we’re not careful we’d get pulled in and become carriers of their poison.
Have you heard a word against your neighbour, then let it die within you.~ Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) 19:10
Every person carries a bucket of gasoline and a bucket of water. When you hear rumours you can either pour your gasoline on it and make it worse or you can do what God says and pour water on it; put it out. Too many people are using their gasoline and try to justify themselves saying, “It’s the truth” or “I’m just stating facts”. Yes they may be guilty but the Bible says love covers a fault. Love doesn’t expose, love doesn’t tell five friends, love says they made a mistake but God can restore them, love says they messed up but God has a new beginning, love says they did wrong but I’m not gonna add to their pain by talking about them, making them look bad, love says I’m going to follow what God says and make it die within me.When you protect a reputation, you’re sowing a seed for God to protect your own reputation. Don’t believe everything you hear. Your opinion about someone should be based solely on the attitude the person projects to you. Don’t let people who are jealous and can’t handle success poison your opinion of somebody else. Proverbs 11:12, “Stupid people say bad things about their neighbours. Wise people know to be quiet.”In our text for today, the book of Genesis, Noah was sozzled after he took some wine from his vineyard. He was naked in his tent and when his youngest son (Ham) saw him he poured his bucket of gasoline in the fire, he told everyone Noah was drunk and naked in the tent, he destroyed his reputation. However, when his two older children (Japheth and Shem) came to see their father lying naked in the room they took a garment and entered the tent with their back and covered him. When Noah woke up and found out what happened, he cursed Ham and blessed Japheth and Shem.
Paul said in Galatians. 6:1, “When someone falls, you who are spiritual are to gently restore them.”When you cover people who fall, cover their weaknesses, God will make sure somebody would always be there to cover you. When it’s easy to expose, be critical or be judgemental remember this; The same amount of mercy you show others is the same amount of mercy God would show you.
We are all far from being flawless, what matters is the journey and effort you put into becoming a better person .
If you made it this far thank you very much, God bless you. Until next week guys!