FLATTERY IS DEADLY!

Proverbs 2:5 A man that flattereth his neighbor spreadth a net for his feet. Flattery is deadly it causes one to believe that the way they are is okay. One that speaks the truth to his neighbor is disliked. Why would one want flattery instead of the truth. I'll tell you why I did. Because it made me feel superior as though I had it all together. It disillusioned me into thinking that I had arrived. The very ones that stroked my ego were the very ones talking about me behind my back. Telling each other my flaws and faults but left me unaware. But GOD is good HE put three people in my life that told me the truth about me no matter how much it hurt my feelings. One told me I didn't know how to be a real friend,another told me that I was mean and didn't care about others another told me I thought I knew every thing. Yes ya'll after taking a good look at myself those things were true although hard to take when said to me I needed to hear those things. I could have come back with all the things that were wrong with them but it would negated what was needed for me at that time. I would have shifted the focus when in reality GOD was speaking to my heart. So in my silence I took a deep look at those things and begin to pray and ask GOD to remove those things that were displeasing to HIM. Let me be the first to admit that it's been a painful journey to let those things go. I have been harboring these qualities from my youth and on first look I felt as though it got me this far I don't need to change. Truth is GOD had gotten me thus far and GOD is ready to take me to the next level. But those things that I was holding was hindering the very places GOD was going to take me. So many times I would tell my friends things that needed to be done in their lives not so much as touching the things inside my own heart. Just to name a few jealousy, envy, covetness ,anger, resentment ,unforgiveness and yes the worst of all pride. Because see it was everybody else GOD not me. They are hurting me I did no wrong...I had the woe is me mentality. And didn't even understand without releasing those things to GOD I was gonna receive a whole lot of woe. I say this to say let us speak the truth to our neighbor in love. Let us not continue to flatter one another for fear of losing a friend. For a true friend can handle correction. I true friend will thank you for speaking the truth to them. For faithful are the wounds of a friend...