MORNING MANNA           9-9-23

As much as we might wish it wasn’t so, Christians suffer- we can’t avoid it. So it shouldn’t surprise us. We should expect it, but we should make sure that our suffering isn’t due to sin on our part.

In warning us about this, Peter mentions sins that should never be the cause of our suffering. The last of these is “a busybody in other men’s matters”. That phrase comes from one compound word that has been defined as “one who takes the supervision of affairs pertaining to others and in no wise to himself, a meddler in other men’s affairs”. A busybody is a person who is a troublesome meddler who needs to mind his own business.

Sadly, you can find a busybody in every neighborhood, work place, etc. You can even find them in churches. They love to get the scoop on everyone and talk about it to others- especially when it relates to their faults. They do it to make themselves look better as they seek flattery.

Although many act as though it is no big deal, notice the other sins mentioned in the group- “murderer… thief…evildoers. That ought to serve as a serious warning. You would expect people like that to suffer – so why would you think meddlers might escape misery?

God’s Word tells us how we should relate to others (Read 1 Thess.4:11; Titus 2:15-3:11), so you can rest assured that busybodies endanger themselves when they do otherwise. We all suffer, but God forbid that it be for doing wrong rather than right, for rebellion rather than righteousness, for hurting people rather than helping them.When you meddle, criticize, gossip, and slander, you put your self in harms way. Be sure your sin will find you out!- HDS

David Stone      
Lakeway Baptist Church      
Humble, Tx