Replies

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Zero Tolerance

October 27, 2011

When Shayla McKnight applied for a job for an online printing company, she was surprised to learn that they had a zero-tolerance policy for gossip. The employees are encouraged to confront one another, instead of gossip about their fellow employees. If employees are caught gossiping, they are reprimanded, and if they continue, they are fired.

Long before this kind of policy was ever implemented by a company, God spoke of His own zero-tolerance policy for gossip and slander among His people (Lev. 19:16). Idle talk that foolishly or maliciously spreads rumors or facts about another person was forbidden.

Solomon said that speaking badly of others could have disastrous effects. It betrays confidence (Prov. 11:13), separates close friends (16:28; 17:9), shames and saddles you with a bad reputation (25:9-10), and perpetually fuels the embers of a quarrel (26:20-22). People rarely can undo the damage their untrue words have done to a neighbor.

Let’s ask the Lord to help us not to engage in harmful talk about others. He wants us to set a guard over our mouths so that we’ll instead speak all the good we know about everybody.

Many things that others say
Are not for us to tell;
Help us, Lord, to watch our tongue—
We need to guard it well. —Branon

Destroy gossip by ignoring it.

Read: Leviticus 19:11-18

You shall not go about as a talebearer among your people. —Leviticus 19:16

Bible in a year:
Jeremiah 12-14; 2 Timothy 1

October 27, 2011

Graphic by Billie

Naked!

I just wanted to use the word, to tell the naked truth,
I sure got your attention, though, by being so uncouth.
We’ve come to have an attitude of shame about our nature,
Which seems to be affected somehow by its nomenclature.

There’s little then to stand between the naked and the nude,
Except that one’s an artful pose and in the other, someone’s rude.
The word itself is strange you know, I mean, for goodness sake,
Though people end up naked no one ever seems to nake.

Naked we came into the world, and naked we shall leave it,
Shorn of our possessions and our pride, you can believe it.
To stand before the Lord with only what we’ve done to show,
There is no hiding then from what the Lord will surely know.

An unimpressive specimen, denuded of its glory,
And unlikely to impress with any kind of cover story.
But still forgiving is our Lord of all the things that we may lack,
And we presume to know this much because he hasn't sent us back.

NicknamedBob . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . December 15, 2004
© 2004 - 2011

I have a friend that says “look for the good” ... in a situation, person, act, place or thing.

Paul wrote in Romans and Philippians the verses we all know ...

“Romans 8:28
King James Version (KJV)

” 28.And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

***********************************************************
“
Philippians 4:8
King James Version (KJV)

“...
8.Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest,
whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure,
whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report;
if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise,
think on these things.”

Heavenly Father, help us to write these words on our heart and mind, in Jesus name, amen.