…grace and truth came to be through Jesus Christ. ~ John 1:17b NASB
Toxic “Peace”
At times when I listen, observe, and wait a very long time without writing about it, it inevitably happens that the religious bandwagons take up a topic and loudly roll it along. I’m both amazed and saddened at the many Christ-professors who jump on and share, like, love, forward, testify to, and – are bound…in the name of toxic “peace”.
To the degree that we have self-determined coming to know the Word is too difficult, too boring, too hard to understand, too lacking in excitement, too time-consuming, too alienating, too lacking in tolerance, too much judgment, too soft on judgment, too anything that doesn’t comfort our emotions or ease our mind – our personal and community spiritual sensitivity and redemptive insight declines, tripped up over stumbling blocks.
Let the aerating begin, for as I wrote at the outset of this series, there is a whole lot of mixed wine these days. The more that is swigged, the less true discernment there is in the Body of Christ. We need “something like scales” to drop from our eyes, just as Paul did when he was apprehended and commissioned by the Lord Jesus.1
Proverbs 20:12 tells us that the LORD made and gave us ‘eyes to see’. In our physical body; for perceiving and understanding in our soul; and for their spiritual use in the Lord’s service. We weren’t called for toxic “peace”. We’re exhorted to have our feet fitted with the preparation of the gospel of peace. From Christ, not our version.
Labels on God’s Wineskins
In this post, two ‘relevant’ labels I have witnessed the usage of are responsible for moving my spirit to this point. Which means it is time to write; the equivalent of giving voice to what has been stirred and fired up a long while. Those terms, being used as labels on God’s wineskins, are toxic and narcissistic. Here is what I have observed:
- professing Christians, with these added to their vocabulary, referring to fellow Christians or not, alike.
- Christian-sounding influencers, social media mental health ‘therapists’, mindset gurus, coaches, and ‘biblical motivators’ advocating for ditching anyone you deem toxic in your life because ‘your peace’ is worth it. One that came across my feed directed cutting off even “the most important ones in your life.”
- the huge number of narcissists surrounding some people’s lives, according to those who are not one.
- a tendency to identify narcissistic traits, minus the ability (or desire) to stop short of full condemnation.
- At what point does the toxic label get reversed in the self-mirror? Toxic means poison, deadly, or lethal.
- It’s easy to become contaminated – or worse – when you’re ill-handling or agreeing with these labels.
- I’m sure I’ve been aware of more, but I’ll end my list with this: Labels, by their very nature, are designed to adhere to something or someone. When you try to remove them, they tend to leave a sticky residue.
I think the one in the above list that has tarred my feathers the most lately is the second bullet point. It so goes against the grain of the nature and character of Christ whom many profess, that it sounds as self-centered as it is. Whether you are an active purveyor of such, find yourself constantly agreeing with the purveyors, or are left with the damage caused to you or by you – if you are a Christ-follower, He is your one hope for healing whole.
Sword of Division
Jesus, the Prince of Peace told His disciples not to think He came to grant peace on the earth, but a sword that would bring division.2 In the Greek, a disunion of opinion and conduct. At the Greek root, to bestow and share, distribute, deal, and be the difference between what was allotted to each one; His redemptive gifts given to all.
That very description infers that there will be all kinds of opinions and levels of conduct. Not for a second am I suggesting there are not individuals whose atmosphere is toxic, nor that there are no narcissists. There are. But if you consider yourself to be a servant of the Lord, your discernment level gets a daily reality check. Even those who simply consider themselves ‘good people’ are making loathing noises about the rise of toxic “peace”.
Toxicity and narcissism flow so thick some days, you can cut it with a knife. Woe to those who plunge in the knife, either toward others or as equally grievous and sinful, taking it into oneself who claims to belong to Christ. He is the sword of the Spirit dividing between that which is His life in us and that which works death. Not us.
Proverbs 12:18-20 ~ The Message
Rash language cuts and maims, but there is healing in the words of the wise.
Truth lasts; lies are here today, gone tomorrow.
Evil scheming distorts the schemer; peace-planning brings joy to the planner.
None of us like toxic and narcissistic, including those who have become absorbed and imprisoned by the dearth3 of true peace. I am thankful for Jesus’ commitment to say what He was given by His Father to tell His disciples.
In John 14:27 when Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit after his death, resurrection, and return to His Father, He gave His disciples a gift of whole health. Like in The Message, at times we need to hear it straight up, not KJV:
I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.
The Spirit of Truth & Grace is nothing less than Christ, our Prince of Peace. He doesn’t know what it is to give us, the children of God, the world’s version of peace. He will have none of it for toxic “peace” is foreign to Him. It is certainly not the peace Jesus received from His Father as He lived and walked among humanity. He only gave then and still gives now, peace that passes all understanding.
His wellness for our spiritual and physical being.
~ Gracefully Free
1 Acts 9:1-22 2 Luke 12:51 – division G1267 Strong’s 3 absence, want, shortage, lack, deficiency
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