"Curse your neighbor?"

It sure took him by surprise!  My husband Germán was invited to preach at a church in El Paso.  After the meeting, people came up to talk to him and ask for prayer, etc.  One man's request was totally unexpected.  "I'd like you to put a curse on my neighbor!"  Oh my!

The poor fellow obviously had the wrong idea...about a lot of things!  Germán did his best to straighten him out.  The curse this guy was thinking of was the kind associated with black magic.  And those curses can be very real.  But there is another aspect to the whole scenario of "cursing", one which has nothing to do with witchcraft...and everything to do with being fallen human beings!

A curse is also defined as rude or offensive words directed in anger, or wishing something evil or unpleasant to happen to someone with whom you're angry.  Most of us would never dream of contacting a real witch and asking for a magic curse.  But many of us have trouble keeping unloving, injurious words from slipping out when we're mad!
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Describing the problem:
"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness.  Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.  My brothers, this should not be."  (James 3:9,10)

"With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse."  (Proverbs 62:4)

What to do:
"Bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse."   (Romans 12:14)

"We work hard with our own hands.  When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; when we are slandered, we answer kindly."   (I Corinthians 4:12,13)
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Examples:
Jesus: "When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threat.  Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."   (I Peter 2:23)

Angels: "Yet even angels, although they are stronger and more powerful, do not bring slanderous accusations...in the presence of the Lord."  (II Peter 2:11)     (So who are we to try it?!)
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  God's challenge:

"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse - the blessing if you obey the commands of the Lord your God... the curse if you disobey the commands of the Lord your God and turn from the way that I command you..."   (Deuteronomy 11:26-28)

That's the kind of curse to really do something about!  God handles all that kind of stuff so much better than we do!  Let's leave it to Him.


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If we're careful about this...there's even a reward!  "Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."   (I Peter 3:9)

And don't worry if others "curse" you, in any form.  Here's a verse I hadn't really noticed before:  "Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest."  (Proverbs 26:2)

All we have to do is live in such a way that ANY curse, insult, etc. directed our way would be undeserved!

                                                         Help us, Lord!
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