Is it Real or Memorex – Divisive People Divide the Church

This week our devotional team tackles the topic, “Noting of Divisive People.” Saints, commit this scripture to memory, prepare to be encouraged, and be ye ready to give an answer to anyone who asks for a reason of hope that is in you with meekness and fear!

Around the 2000’s reality tv became popular. There were shows like Survivor, Big Brother, and American Idol. Today it seems like “reality” TV is on every channel. The most popular shows seem to highlight drama. It seems that the main theme of these shows is division. Many of these shows seem to portray a certain group of people in a negative light. But it doesn’t matter if the people are male, female, black, white, rich, or poor if the show has people arguing, fighting, backbiting, and lying it gets great ratings. I was invited to be a part of a reality show and wondered how do I represent Christ well in that type of environment. I wanted to believe that this show would be different but deep down I knew it wouldn’t be. Later, I found out that fighting and arguing was actually written into some contracts and scripts. In many of the shows the fights were just acts. Moreover, if you decided that you did not want to be a part of the negative narrative you were deemed boring and eventually let go. Wow, what a message to send.

As believers we are told to set ourselves apart. We are different so we should look and act differently. Oftentimes this means losing friends, not being invited to the party, and sometimes being teased. There may have been a time when you were about that life, when you were the person gossiping, being loud and causing confusion but once Jesus came into your life you became a new creation. As believers we want to be real and not Memorex. We want to not just appear real but actually be real. We want to be the ones keeping our eye out for people who cause dissention not the ones being looked at for causing dissention. In order, to recognize divisive people and even our own divisive behaviors we must remember who we are fighting against (Ephesians 6:12), we must keep our eyes on things above (Colossians 3:2), study the Word (2 Timothy 2:15), and be in constant communication with the Lord (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father give us discernment about divisive people. Help us to not be the person that causes division by causing disagreements between people. Help us to represent You well by the way we act, speak, and live. Thank You, Lord for forgiving us when we slip, for guiding us with Your word, and for giving us everything we need to succeed. We are ever so grateful for Your love, Your grace, Your mercy and Your Son, Jesus the Christ who gave His life for us. In Jesus', name, Amen.
By Sis. Patricia Towns