The Cynical Tongue

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners,

not sitteth in the seat of the scornful. -Psalm 1:1 KJV

Eliab, David's oldest brother, was a true cynic. When David went down to the scene of the battle and saw Goliath, the Philistine giant who was intimidating the Israelites, he became indignant. He emphatically and confidently stated that he would personally take care of this "uncircumcised Philistine". (I Samuel 17:36). Circumcision was a sign of God's covenant of protection and provision for the Israelites. David knew that this bully had no such a benefit. David was very secure in the covenant and totally embraced God's promise. Obviously, this was not so for Eliab.

Now Eliab his oldest brother heard when he spoke to the men; and Eliab's anger burned against David and he said, "Why have you come down? And with whom have you left those few sheep in the wilderness? I know your insolence and the wickedness of your heart; for you have come down in order to see the battle." But David said, "What have I done now?' (I Samuel 17:28-29 NASB).

Eliab, whose name meant "God is my father" (imagine one with such a name running from the giant), scorned David's confidence and his motives; cynicism had him in its grip.

A person who is cynical scorns the motives of others. Cynicism is like venom; it poisons the atmosphere wherever it is present. Resorting to it will also poison your spirit and that of others. Find one cynical employee, parishioner, or family member, and pretty soon those with weaker minds are chiming in and perpetuating the negative conversation. It can wreak havoc on any relationship and in any environment. When I managed a team of about 30 employees who were required to meet departmental goals and matrix set by the company, I tried to reward and de-stress them by providing surprise luncheons and other tokens of appreciation. During those special luncheons we were allowed to take two hours for this special time, it was mandatory that everyone be in attendance, due to another call center took our calls during these two hours. There was one antisocial sourpuss, who always tried to put a damper on our outings with her cynical remarks and overall negative attitude about the company. I finally started letting her stay at the office while the rest of us had a good time. I found that distancing myself from a cynic was my best coping strategy.

As you go about your daily lives begin to observe your comments in various settings and determine if you are being cynical or scornful. Retire from cynicism going forward.

THIS WEEK'S AFFIRMATION:

I am blessed because I do not walk in the counsel of the ungodly nor stand in the way of sinners nor sit in the seat of the scornful.