God Doesn’t Like Ugly: Stay Away from Toxicity

Dear Pilgrim,

I received your communication. The reasons for my delayed response are two-fold: I was traveling out of state; secondly, I wanted to prepare a more enlightened response to your communication. Now, let's look at an excerpt of your letter:

“I met some people, and realized that though we are all proclaiming to be pilgrims; a few of the new acquaintances are constantly undermining our leaders. In addition to their endless opposition to ideas and activities aimed at helping us grow spiritually, and overcome challenges on our journey, these individuals I have come to see as poisonous appear to be more interested in things outside of our spiritual journey, and activities that hinder our spiritual growth. We have met these individuals in small groups to discuss their concerns, but our efforts have been without success. As a Pilgrim, how do I cope with such negativity, without failing in my journey to grow spiritually? Are there scriptures to help me handle, or understand what I need to do with such noxious people?”

Pilgrim, when I read your communication, I thought about a novel. God Don't Like Ugly, written by Mary Monroe! I found this book interesting because the characters loved to gossip and talk about people. The basic plot revolves around a young girl, Annette who is being sexually abused by the live-in border, a one-legged man Mr. Boatwright. Mr. Boatwright was taken in by Annette’s mother. He presents one personality during the day -- cooks for the family, takes Annette to the market with him, to the movies and goes with the family to church and at times is kind to her, and then at night destroys it all by making the innocent child, Annette his victim of sexual abuse.

If I am right, your group encouraged the so-called pilgrims (poisonous individuals) to join you in your religious journey. Secondly, rather than helping to strengthen the mission and visions of the religious journey, the new additions sought to create division, and undermine the leadership of the group, thereby derailing the group’s progress and the spiritual growth of individuals.

I find the new members on your journey similar to the one- legged boarder, Mr. Boatwright in Mary Monroe’s novel, who was taken in by Annette’s mother. Like Mr. Boatwright, who was taken in by Annette’s mother, the so-called pilgrims were encouraged to become a part of your entourage on a religious journey. Similar to Mr. Boatwright who mercilessly sexually abuse his host’s daughter, the so-called pilgrims deliberated selected to undercut the very leaders that opened their arms to them, undermine the vision and mission of the leaders who graciously received them, scandalize the integrity of members, as well as (attempted to) dampen the spiritual growth of individual members. I can imagine the confusion.

As I reflected on your communication, and visualized the scenario, I thought about some bible verses: Psalm 58:3 “These wicked people are born sinners; even from birth they have lied and gone their own way. The next verse, Psalm 58:4 states: They spit venom like deadly snakes; they are like cobras that refuse to listen.” The commentary of the verse is that the poison of wicked people is like the poison of a serpent - When they bite, they transmit poison into the wound, as the serpent does. They not only injure you by outward acts, but by their wickedness and malice they poison your reputation. They do you as much evil as they can, and spread the worst reports that others may look at you with less respect or with hatred, treat you as a bad person. Just as the poison from the bite of the serpent is conveyed into the blood, and circulates with the blood through all the body system, carrying death everywhere; so is the same way the speech of wicked people (intended to) circulate through society, and poison and destroy the reputation of others, and undermine others they envy. Those are the acts of those who slander others, and that is their influence in society, especially among those who have not come to realize the wickedness of such people who are like serpents. From such wicked people who spite out venom, no one’s reputation is safe, no one’s character is protected in the hands of such people, and when faced with such people God alone can shield the innocent from the envenomed tongue and lying lips of such monsters in the shape of men.

Psalm 58: 3-4 are referenced in Deuteronomy 32:33, which states: “Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras,” and Psalm 52:3: “You [evil persons] love evil rather than good, falsehood rather than speaking the truth. Take a lot at Psalm 140: 3: They make their tongues as sharp as a serpent's; the poison of vipers is on their lips.”

The bible verse mentioned above demonstrates that truly, while God is a loving God, he doesn’t like Ugly. Ugly in this discussion doesn’t mean structurally or facially ugly (though we know that some evil people are ugly, and the aura around them is dark), the ‘ugly” in this discussion meant to mean “bad.” Badness aimed at destroying the growth and development of others; badness to mean biting the hands that embraces, feeds, or uplifts, you, and or God’s children; badness to put down others, and make leaders ineffective, or attempt to weaken leaders gradually or insidiously. Envenomed tongues that undermine others, particularly leaders are desperate for recognition, and the despersate desire to be in the power of positions. However, what most don’t know is what my friend TKT says: If You Can’t Follow You’ll Never Lead.” As I ponder TKT’s statement, I now understand clearly why it [his statement] is undoubtedly true. First, God believes in proper leadership. Therefore, God invests in leadership. Secondly, how can a person who has not learned to appreciate the good in others be a good leader? How can a person who has never learned to obey be a good leader, or learn basic communication skills, including being a productive part of a team as a follower become an effective leader? A person who hasn’t learned to follow will never be able to lead. In order to become a leader, one must become a good follower first. All great leaders are submitted to someone of a higher authority, and that includes respecting God. The Bible speaks clearly on respect for authority: 1 Peter 2: 13- 14: Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether it be to the king as supreme; or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well.”

Pilgrim, having pointed out scriptures that discuss the venomous tongues, and the extend at which lying tongues can go to destroy others. , I will now look at how we relate to listening to negatives/evil and how it impacts our growth. According to the scriptures, Proverbs 17:4 states: "A wicked person listens to deceitful lips; a liar pays attention to a destructive tongue.” While the verse may sound harsh, I believe that giving an audience to negativity encourages the spread of such negativity. Moreover, I sincerely believe that what we listen to affect our thoughts.

Should you stay in the presence of the wicked? Proverbs 14:7 say, “Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.” The verse is asking us to stay away from the presence of a foolish man, and for a wicked person, shun his company, depart from him, have no fellowship with him, because such fellowship can be dangerous, infectious, and hurtful.

Is it possible to change the orientation of a Fool, [I am not saying an uneducated person]? Proverbs 23:9 says: Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words. Matthew 7: 6 added, "Never give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls [gems]before pigs. Otherwise, they will trample them with their feet and then turn around and attack you." What does the verse Matthew 7:6 denotes. We know that pearls are precious stones, and thy are used to denote anything precious. Until recently, "Dogs" signify people who spurn, oppose, and abuse; people of intense bitterness and malignity of temper, who growl at and eschew God's gifts. "Swine" signify those who would trample God's gifts and blessings underfoot; people of impurity of life; those who are polluted, corupted profane, and obscene; those who would not know the value of the gifts, God's works and beauty in others, and who would tread them down as swine would tread on pearls. Evidently, Matthew 7: 6 urges us to resist from offering our principle to those sadistic, unclean, and abusive people who would growl and curse you; nor to those especially debased and shameless who would not recognize its value, would trample it down, and later turn around to abuse and attack you.

So what have you gathered from these Bible verses, and from the Universal law about listening to negative? Let's assume you are not a christian; what ever your religious practices, we are all guided by some principles. One such principle is the Universal Law govern the Universe and that help us in our search for peace, stability, and enhance our outlook on issues. The Universal Laws include the Universal Law of attraction, the Universal Law of abundance, the Universal Law of cause and effect, and the list goes on. As we know, the “Universe” means the Universal spirit, God, a higher power, or the eternal power. Proponents of the Universal Laws, (Mahatma Gandhi, School of Metaphysics, among other) believe that the qualities you admire in others, are existing within yourself. And the qualities you resist in yourself, you will also dislike in others and the qualities that you resist and react to in others is often some quality which you are afraid exists within you. So, if you consider these, we can say that to draw positiveness, we need to stop listening to negative, and begin listening to positive if we are to uplift positivenes within ourselves. We also need to stay away, and or remove ourselves from negative people, negative situations and negative environment. In sum, we must simply shut our ears and eyes off to negativity, and to open our hearts to possibility and positiveness, if we are to glow in positiveness! Can you do that?

Pilgrim, as you reach the end of my response to your inquires, I also ask that you read Genesis 13: 3-8 and Gen 21: 8-13, listen to the Great Spirit, our Helper, and Counselor that speaks to us about our own life and guides us, and write down your thoughts.

I hope you find some answers in my response and Bible verses. Take care and let me hear from you again.

Always
musue