Do more blessing and less cursing
How sad that certain journalists are trying to mar the Queens Platinum Jubilee anniversary with raising the issue of forgiveness and the sins of one of her sons. Archbishop Welby was simply answering the question on what is the central principle of Christianity and you could see how careful he was with his chosen words. Still, the journalist created a story! This kind of story sells papers.
The world loves to hate and even more so when we have just cause to do so.
A quote attributed to Martin Luther King, Jr. stated that: “The old law about ‘an eye for an eye’ leaves everybody blind.”
The ‘partygate’ scandal is a scandal and it was unusual to see a Prime Minister apologise and it was right he did. But I also know of people who though they are cursing others now were also guilty of breaking the lockdown rules then and abusing the furlough scheme where nearly £6 billion was wasted in fraudulent claims.
Even the cursed love to curse.
“Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” Romans 12:14
Most of us go through life and have to carry the problem of people not liking us and even worse, though we have tried to fix the situation we seem to be their enemy. They really don’t like us! They hold a grudge or they speak ill against us and they want to do as much damage to our reputation as possible.
I remember the phone call from one such man in the year 2000, “We will bring you down!” it was very unnerving as I pondered what that would mean exactly. They did try but the opposite happened as God lifted me up! I and the church I pastored were taken to an employment tribunal for an unfair dismissal charge. The charges were littered with lies. However, those that brought them really did believe they were handled unfairly. They hated me with a passion and they were determined to finish me. They cursed me and believed God was behind the curse. They had joined some jihad. What surprised me was I found that even though we won the case unanimously, (in fact the judge said ‘there was no case to answer’) the real battle began inside of me after it was all over. The temptation to curse was so alive in me and I knew if I didn’t master it then it would be the cursing that would bring me down. I discovered that though I was not naturally a cursing person, when I was wrongfully cursed the temptation to curse back, to get even, to let the world know was a new monster to face. I had to fight not to become one of the many angry people that walk around in religious clothing.
It would seem that these things are expected: You will have enemies; there will be people who hate you; they will curse you; they will ill-treat you; they will insult you; they will steal from you. The kingdom principle is to do the opposite of what comes your way and not the same response. To love, to do good, to bless, to pray, to not retaliate and to give what they need or want. To bless is to live in the place of forgiveness. To bless is to live large and accepting. To bless is to permit the sinner to come back into your space, with consequences perhaps, but not with cursing.
Hard that this is, it is the only way to stay in the kingdom and to let God reign in your life. Above all, it is the only way to keep your love sincere.
Missions Paul 
Spoken like a child of God