12/7

1 Peter 2:1

¹So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

The apostle Peter is telling us what should be the result of having been born again through the living and enduring Word of God. We should put away all malice. That is an effort that we make. We should forsake the anger and animosity we have toward anyone. We are to love one another. If in any way we deceive others, that deception should cease. Our heavenly Father cannot lie and neither should we.

We must also put away hypocrisy lest we give an excuse for others not to believe. If we are struggling with an area of our life, we should find believers we can go to for prayer. Sin's power weakens when we bring it into the light.

Envy is the sin of the tenth commandment, which is to covet what belongs to another. While we should desire the best gifts of the Spirit, we should not envy the gifts and positions that God has given to fellow believers. God is the One who distributes the gifts as He determines best. Humbly accept what God has given you and where He has placed you.

Slander must go, too. We are sometimes tempted to use the guise of a prayer request to slander someone whom we dislike in government, the church, or our community. Love sees the good in others and God's desire for them. If you can't say something positive about another person, don't say anything. Pray for God's will to be done in and through the individual.

Consider: The love of God in us should, in time, end all malice and deceit. It should stop hypocrisy and envy. It will certainly silence any form of slander. Each problem goes back to a lack of love for God.