My New Website - www.draperwright.com

Hello everyone,

It has been a while! I've been quite busy on several projects lately. Guess what, though, I'm back...

Please visit my new author website at www.draperwright.com for details on what I've been working on.

We'll be connecting very soon!

Regards,
DsW

A Busybody, An Electronic One

Good people, I pray that all is going well with each of you. 

In this script segment, I'd like to highlight a Biblical topic which usually doesn't gain a lot of attention. I call it, "The Electronic Busybody." In an age where people put such disdaining emphasis on sins that are easily identifiable such as adultery, fornication, violence, witchcraft, etc. this topic is often overlooked. Interestingly enough, busybodies are not overlooked by God in the Scripture.

2 Thessalonians 3:11 - For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

1 Timothy 5:13 - And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not.

1 Peter 4:15 - But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters.

As many of us know, this is the age of innovation and technology which has undoubtedly been a great benefit to all humanity. We are now able to get work done and plan activities faster and more efficient than in previous decades. Many of the previous decades' ways of communicating and handling business have now faded into distant memory, making way for the Internet, email, texting, mobile apps, and other ways to communicate with others in real-time. We now also have social media forums such as Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and others which let us establish personal pages to connect with our family, friends, peers, and organizations. These are great tools that help us interact and stay in touch with those we care for, especially where there is great physical distance.

Unfortunately, some, even among Christians have perverted the use of these media. Many have chosen to use them as tools to secretly snoop around and investigate what's going on in the lives of others. This of course, is the wrong use of these media, particularly for the Christian. Such a person is actually an "electronic busybody."

But, what specifically is a busybody? formal dictionaries define it as: (a) a person who meddles or pries into the affairs of others; a messy person (b) an officious or meddling investigative person; a gossiper, (c) a person that snoops in or examines the affairs of others, (d) a nosy person who seeks or searches for information on another person's life, and (e) a person who eavesdrops solely for information about others.

Biblical Greek defines it as:

(a) Strongs 244: allotrioepiskopos; from allotrios, meaning a meddler, a pryer into others' affairs.

(b) Strongs 4021: periergos; denoting one "taken up with trifles," or trivial matters which concern another, wicked curiosity

(c) Strongs 4020: periergazomai, lit., "to be working round about, instead of at one's own business" (peri, "around," ergon, "work"), signifies to take more pains than enough about a thing, to waste one's labor, to be meddling with, or bustling about, other people's matters. This may be produced in a free rendering: "some who are not busied in their own business, but are overbusied in that of others."

What foolishness! That may be fine for unbelievers and those who are against our faith...but certainly not for Christians. We should be focusing on INspiring people, not INvestigating people.

Honestly ask yourself the following questions:

• Can I truly say that I am not a busybody...not even an electronic one?
• Is it important for me to know other people's business or to keep up with what's going on in their lives?
• Am I so aware of what God is up to in my own daily life that I have sufficient time to investigate another's life?
• Do I often talk foolishly or negatively about other people or what's happening in their lives?
• Do I seek or snoop around on other people's social media pages?
• Do I have any relationships (e.g. friends, family, etc.) that help feed my appetite to know the affairs of other people? Do I feed others' appetite in the same way?
• What are my conversations USUALLY about - other people, myself, God, etc.?
• Can I go a day, week, or month without looking at another's social media page SOLELY for information about them?
• Do I become sensitive, excited, and really interested when someone is negatively talking about someone else?
• Do I feel good or feel a sense of control when I know something personal about someone else, of which they don't "know that I know"?

If anything in that list even remotely reflects you; do whatever it takes to change it, today! God needs more of your attention. Going forward, aim to mind (put your mind on) your own business because you ARE missing out on what God is up to in your own life!

Don't be guilty of always seeing someone else's life clearer than you see your own.

As a final note, consider our Savior, Jesus Christ. He never sought, snooped around in, investigated, or gossiped about other people. He never even talked negatively about others unless it was the religious leaders (e.g. Pharisees, Sadducees, etc.) of His day. Even then, His speech was exclusive to their doctrine and false religiosity. Jesus is who we are to be like and re-present accordingly.

 

Be sure to share this script with others. As Christians we have too much work to do for the Kingdom of God to be involved in any busybody activities.

Peace be with you!

Don't Make him Proud!

The devil is full of sin and pride and has been since the beginning. The Bible makes it clear that it was his pride that caused him to become antagonistic toward the God of creation (Ezekiel 28:17). That said, there is nothing that he'd like more than to continue to show off his pride in utter rebellion towards God. But get this...since he's been evicted from staying in Heaven, now he uses humans to disrespect God.

Yes, all sin is disrespectful towards God.

We must remember that the real battle is between good and evil, righteousness and unrighteousness, the Kingdom of God or Light and the kingdom of Satan or darkness. So today, begin a journey and lifestyle of greater prayer and sensitivity to the Holy Spirit. This will help you stay in the will of God more often in your behavior and words. Whatever you do, don't make the devil proud!

Begin asking yourself? - Who will this action, inaction, word, or silence impress - God or the devil?