Practice People

Proverbs 4:16-17(MSG)
They can't get a good night's sleep unless they've made life miserable for somebody.  Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice.

This verse makes me sad.  It's hard for me to accept that anyone would purposefully enjoy making the life of someone else miserable.  Oh, I can understand that these people exist, because unfortunately I have come in contact with a few of them, but I don't like accepting the fact that it brings them peace to ruin another person's  life.  It also saddens me to know that not only do they impose their ridiculous behavior on others, but that they enjoy doing so.  It is entertainment for them. 

I can only come up with two positive things to say here.  The first is that our encounters with these "evil people" as verse 16 refers to them, should push us to our knees in prayer on their behalf.  The second positive way to look at these people is from a response mode.  I have talked to my children about this very thing.  I refer to people with this type of negative behavior as our "practice people".  You know what I'm talking about.  These are the very people who require us to practice the fruits of the spirit.  They are those challenging individuals that happen into our life and make us realize that we really can't do this in our own strength, but with Christ we will overcome!  Philippians 4:13 (NIV) states, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Praying tonight for the fruit of the spirit to deal with those in our lives who have not realized the love of Christ and His offer of freedom and eternal life.