Don't take the bait

I found myself in a situation that I did not expect.  I was minding my own business and the furthest thing from my mind was someone from my past.  With no effort on my part I found out some really “good” gossip about them. It was someone who had thrown me under the bus in the past, seemingly to their advantage.  When I tell you I was innocent in how I found out the information I could not be more truthful.

When wanting revenge on someone this bit of news was like gold.  And then the trap was set.  It was a test and temptation at the same time, and instinctively I knew it.  Initially, I just sort of tossed it around in my mind thinking, “What am I going to do with this?”  It was good stuff.  I could hear God distinctly saying, “Leave it alone, don’t take the bait.”  And I could hear the other side— whether that was me or Satan—saying, “You’ve waited a long time for this…Do you know how much mileage this will get you?....Just tell so-and-so….etc.” God never changed even in the 110^th time I thought about it, no matter how I looked at it. He always said, “Leave it alone.”  I knew it was a test.  

Knowing it was a test should have been the end of the argument but it wasn’t that easy.  I’m glad to tell you that in the end I did leave it alone, as I told no one.  The Lord is growing me up spiritually and in all honestly, I don’t think even a year ago I could have passed this one.  I examined it like it was something sitting in the center of a glass table.  I would not touch it but I would look at it from all angles, trying to figure out a way to be able to use it to my benefit without going against God and getting stuck in the trap.  I spent several days wanting to be able to find a loophole but it was air tight, and the only answer was to keep quiet.  

More than a week has gone by and I can tell you I’m so very glad that I listened to God.  Today, I actually feel sorry for the person.  They only hurt themselves.  And I was set up to go down the trail with them.  What I really can’t believe is that I am praying for them and for a solution to their behavior.  

Please don’t think I think I’m so spiritual. This was not easy and I hope I didn’t make it sound like it was.  I did the right thing but it did not feel like the right thing in the beginning.  It was several days before I wasn’t thinking about it constantly.  And then a couple more days of numbness, now finally I can see that it was in EVERYONE’S best interest for me to keep it quiet.  

The following two Scriptures are the same.  This is not an error on my part.  I find it interesting God would record it in the Bible twice, the very same Proverb.  That is, unless He really needed to reinforce, as He knew how important the it was.  

Proverbs 18:8 - The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

Proverbs 26:22 - The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts.

In the book of Daniel, God the Father is called, “The Ancient of Days.” His name means in the beginning He “was.” Since day one He “was.” Since the creation of time He “was.”  He has seen it all and will be the judge of it all.  He did not miss a thing; He did not forget a thing, not one detail.  He will not at any time abdicate His throne.  And on the last “day,” as we know it, He will still be the same.  So here is my point.  He saw the number of times I was thrown under the bus and He saw me pass on the biggest piece of gossip ever offered my way, and the opportunity for revenge.  He is a fair judge and I am leaving it up to Him, whatever He does with it in the end.  

For me today, I didn’t take the bait, I am free.  Here is one of my favorite quotes.

“Better to shun the bait then struggle in the snare.”  - William Blake

In moments like this His word is so profoundly real to me.  To love someone in this case may have meant just “covering” my mouth.

1 Peter 4:8 - Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. (emphasis mine)