Your peace is a priceless commodity. If you find yourself consistently in circumstances with individuals in your life that carry a current that draws division and confusion, prepare to cut the power.
Like parking lights in a vehicle left on unattended drains the battery, rendering the car immobile, so will the drama and divisiveness of people who refuse to grow and mature, will do to you. Chronic conflict will drain your progress and God-given creativity.
Paul had to send Titus to Crete with a letter that contained a message to encourage change and hope to a network of Christian churches that allowed the corruption of their old behaviors to creep in and begin eating away at its healthy fibers. The crumbling character of the people of Crete was established by corrupt Creten leaders that wore the title of, “Christian,” but their actions denied Him, and began to poison the people they were assigned to build up.
It is great to give a person an opportunity to change and shift to a more positive course. We all need grace from time to time. But, let no one insist upon infecting your joy, peace and progress with the negativity they hold so dear.
If you do not abide in peace at your core, you will miss subtle, but vital strategic details about what you need to do to advance in purpose, where you are supposed to go, who you are to meet, etc. You will repel where you should attract. Angst and strife produces fear and doubt that causes you to, "major in the minors," keying in on situations and circumstances that don't matter. You will live in the land of the chickens, never qualifying to soar with the eagles. Don't allow people to lure you to inhabit this dry place.
You have great work to do for the kingdom. Take wings and fly!
“But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Warn a divisive person once, and then warn them a second time. After that, have nothing to do with them. You may be sure that such people are warped and sinful; they are self-condemned.” - Titus 3:9-11 NIV
