Negative Press

Can you imagine having every last seedy mistake that you've ever made make the headlines of the national media? Every transgression, every public argument (and to mention private), every foul-mouthed tirade recorded in infamy on the Internet? After a while it would be hard to leave the house, wouldn't it?

One might start to feel isolated.

Alone.

Depressed.

Perhaps even suicidal.

Michael Jackson comes to mind.

How much attention do you pay to negative press? How often do you read the tabloids? How much time do you spend keeping up with the Kardashians?

If you're like me, what begins as fascination turns quickly to scorn. When we focus on one aspect of a person's life, we fail to see the entire person--the good as well as the bad. We miss the fact that negative press sells newspapers, gets ratings and fuels competition. We fail to see that the more attention that we pay to the ugly side of human nature, the less spiritual we become. The less spiritual, the less happy. The less happy, the less chance of being a light for someone else.

A light to point a suffering person towards the light of God.

You can make a difference by refusing to give in to the lure of gossip. Refuse the read the junk or read it with an eye towards the truth--that we ALL sin and that we ALL fall short of the glory of God.

There has one perfect dude (or "cat" as folks said in the 70s) that has ever walked the earth and that guy's name is Jesus. (Talk about negative press!!)

Anytime we are judging, gossiping or mad-dogging someone else we are essentially saying, (to the tune of Michael Jackson's "I'm Bad"),

"I'm ALL that, a nachos bell grande with extra cheese and a side of chalupas!!!"

And truth is, you ain't.

And neither am I.

Say out loud, based on Matthew 7:5:
"...God, help me first take the log out of my own eye, and then i will see clearly to take the speck out of my brother's eye."