“Dealing With Toxic People While Walking In Your Purpose For Jesus”

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Toxic is defined as causing unpleasant feelings; harmful or malicious; poisonous; fraud; misrepresentation. 

Always remember, we all need a Judas in our lives. A Judas let’s us know we’re on the right track for Jesus and do not stop moving forward in what Jesus will have you to do not what man or woman would have for you to do. Do the Lord’s will even when it hurts, even when it will cause you to loss somethings and some people. Even though Jesus often walked away and let others walk away, He obviously and clearly kept one toxic person very close to His side, His betrayer, Judas. We can we live with or work alongside toxic people without going crazy ourselves. One of Jesus’ disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray Him, objected, ‘Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.’ He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. John knew Judas was a thief, Jesus knew Judas was a thief. In fact, Jesus knew that Judas was worse than a thief. In John 6:70, Jesus said, “Have I not chosen you, the Twelve? Yet one of you is a devil!” He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who, though one of the Twelve, was later to betray Him. Jesus knew Judas was toxic. He could have stopped Judas from stealing and His future betrayal by kicking Him out of their group at any time. But Jesus kept the bigger mission in mind. To seek first God’s Kingdom, He had to raise up a band of disciples. He also had to die on the cross. He wasn’t waylaid by individual battles of piety with His disciples. There were more important issues at hand. 

I come by this morning to let you know your Judas serves a purpose more greater than the toxic issues they bring. Allow your Judas to eat at your table so they can see the manifestation of the Lord. Pray for them because they know not what they do. We must focus on training and equipping reliable people. Focusing on others’ sin makes you focus on what’s toxic. Be bless and I love you!!! JE