Toxic. When I think of or hear this term used, my mind goes back to a black sticker with a bright green frowny-face on it that I used to see as a child. If memory serves me correct, these very bright, very vivid stickers were reminder labels for the local poison control hotline. The idea was to have them on anything toxic that you might get into around the house so that if you got into trouble someone could call immediately and find out what to do.
I've been thinking a great deal about these labels lately as I observe life on many levels. There seems to be so much anger and anxiety going around society due to a number of factors (economics, politics, a general fear of an unknown future), and I wonder sometimes how much we as the people of God realize how much we can make a difference in the lives of those with whom we live, work, play, and worship. I don't many of us who would willingly admit to wanting to be around negative people and negative situations; yet I wonder also how much we (willingly or unwillingly) contribute to negativity in the people and circumstances in our lives.
It would be really neat if every toxic person or situation had a neat poison control label, and if we could steer away from those environments. However, we who take on the identity of Christian have a responsibility to bring grace to any and all we encounter. We don't have the option of living a pollyannish existence - but we do have a choice of whether or not to bring grace and peace.
So, next time someone sends you a "the world's going to hell" e-mail, or next time someone comes up to you and tries to bait you into becoming a "nattering nabob of negativity", or you spend anytime watching someone in the political arena take shots at someone opposed to their idea, or someone is in your face, or there's a situation that you really don't like - take a five-count (or longer, if need be), smile, and remember that you are called to a higher standard. Not to deny that there are serious situations that require serious conversations, but let's remember whose we are and what we claim to live.
Make no mistake about it - we live in an imperfect world. Toxicity is a part of life. But we can choose to contribute further to toxic environments (at home, work, school, society, among one another, etc.) or we can choose to be of a higher calling.
Think of the little skull and crossbones that is the universal symbol of poison - and ask yourself if you want to be identified by that image or by the image of the cross.
See you Sunday!
Lamar
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