CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 748

“Toxic People”

1 Kings 12:13 (ESV)  And the king answered the people harshly…

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Have you ever been around someone who always left you emotionally drained?  How about someone who is always negative?  Have you ever known someone who always left you feeling hurt or like you could do nothing right or good?

We have all encountered toxic people at some time in our lives that have made us feel bad.  We then try to avoid that person when we can.  If it is someone in authority over us we tend to lose respect for them and our work performance can suffer.  In fact, toxic bosses foster a toxic work environment.  Note how the people of Israel responded to their new toxic boss, King Rehoboam.

And when all Israel saw that the king did not listen to them, the people answered the king, “What portion do we have in David? We have no inheritance in the son of Jesse.  To your tents, O Israel! Look now to your own house, David.” – 1 Kings 12:16

If you are in a position of authority, how can you lead people if they feel miserable when in your presence?  Rehoboam learned that lesson the hard way.  If you are in a business leadership position how you make your people feel dictates how they will in turn make your customers feel.  A toxic environment of ‘customer-no-service’ is a recipe for failure in your business.  The root cause as well as the solution begins with the leadership. Don’t pass the buck and make no excuses.

If your job is in sales or another position where you deal with the public how you make them feel is just as important, if not more so, than the product or service you are selling.  Do you make them feel like a wallet to be picked or are you genuinely concerned about meeting their need?

 …let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. – 1 John 3:18

No born-again follower of Jesus Christ should be characterized as a toxic person.  Are there people who leave your presence feeling bad because of the way you speak to them or act toward them?  Do you make some people feel ‘less than whole’?  It is an abomination that some people are not made to feel welcome in a Christian Church because of toxic prejudice present there.

…wisdom from above is pure first of all; it is also peaceful, gentle, and friendly; it is full of compassion and produces a harvest of good deeds; it is free from prejudice and hypocrisy. – James 3:17

People were drawn to Jesus’ presence.  He treated everyone with sincere love and grace but He never watered down the truth of God’s Word.  The rich young man went away sad because he loved wealth more than the truth of Jesus’ words.  But to those who desired the truth, they left Jesus’ presence uplifted and encouraged like Zacchaeus the tax collector.

Do people sense the joy of the presence of our Lord in you or are you a constant bummer to be around?  How do you make people feel?  What ‘tone’ do you set in your church, home, or business environment?

May the abiding presence of the Lord be continually evident on your countenance.  May your words and body language convey the love and grace of our Lord.  As light and salt may you be the antidote to a toxic environment.  May people be attracted to Christ in you and may the Holy Spirit give you the power to share the gospel as the Lord opens the door of opportunity to do so.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & dedication of your work to the glory of God