Choice to love or gossip?

I was thinking about my mother-in-law, Jean, today and missing her encouraging words when I am at a loss. Her wisdom was so important to me when I was a young woman at wit's end. Sadly, her words are no longer just a phone call away. Today, I have to make the choice to go to Jesus for wisdom and direction, which is what she would have told me anyway.

What prompted the need today was contemplating the time I made not-so-nice comments about someone Jean loved. She was silent at first and then told me of the pain this other person was experiencing. She paused and a moment later said, "Mimi, you are not being the sweet girl I know." First, may I say just hearing her say I was a "sweet girl" blessed and convicted me all at once. I was, and am, God's sweet girl. However, I make choices at times NOT to be sweet, but to lower myself as if I am not a child of the King. Why do I do that? AUGH! Jean would tell me, "Yes, you blew it. But if you will listen to the Lord speak to your heart at times like this, you will respond poorly less and less." She didn't judge, she just reminded me who I was and Who's I was.

This morning, I observed a couple of other "sweet girls" talking about another one of God's kids. Sometimes we feel we are justified to speak against others. After all, they were in the wrong, right? They were out of line and shame on them. Oh, how many times have I had that attitude, Lord? But what would You have me do, Lord? Take up the offense of another? Build a case against the offender so others will join the club? No, I don't think so. Too many times I have regretted laying aside my position of who I was and picking up the enemy's mantel of judge & jury.

I'm drawn to Ephesians 4:17-32:
"So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, and they are full of greed.
That, however, is not the way of life you learned when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body. “In your anger do not sin”[d]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold. Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you."

Most of us have not gone to the extreme of giving ourselves over to "every kind of impurity". But aren't we taking little steps in that direction when we choose NOT to love our offenders? I'm thinking Mimi Moseley needs to put her judgmental attitudes aside. Oh, how I will fight when I am right and feel justified. Oh, the sorrow I experience when the Holy Spirit shows me my own wicked ways. He then reminds me those sins have been put away because He remembers that I am dust. Father God, help me to love first, second, third, seventy times seven and choose to love and forgive because You have forgiven me.