On the path to destruction

1 Corinthians 3: ¹⁶ Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.17 

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Driving down the street minding my own business when that “idiot” wanted to speed up, swerve in front of me and barely miss my car and the truck in front of me. What an “idiot.” Arriving at work I noticed a group of people not doing what they were supposed to be doing. What “lazy” people. When a famous sports figure fell to drugs or adultery I would think, what a “waste.”

• When I think other people are wrong and “I” alone am right then GOD has issues with me.
• When I believe “that” person should be punished and I should be praised then GOD has issues with me.
• When I “those” people have problems and I don’t then GOD has issues with me.

“Wait a minute” you might say. “They are the ones doing the stupid things, why am I involved?” GOD wants me to view each person as another section of HIS temple. There should be no part of the building that I hate.

• GOD sees every person as part of HIS temple so I should treat everyone special.
• GOD does not want to see any person destroyed because HIS temple is sacred.
• GOD wants me to treat HIS temple as being sacred so I must treat everyone, even my enemies, with the thoughtfulness of GOD.

Yeah, I thought this verse was about staying away from sex, drugs and rock and roll, but I missed the words “you together are that temple.” This statement means I have to drop my prejudice, hatred and selfishness and replace them with love, peace and generosity. GOD will destroy the divisive. HE wants me to build HIS kingdom up instead of tearing it down.

• Are you trying to tear someone down?
• Are you tired of “those” people?
• Can you hear GOD asking you to stop looking at their problems and help them?
• Do you realize that no one wins unless all of us win?