Good grief, the Brits and the French are at it again. NBC News reported Thursday morning: “The U.K. and France were engaged in a naval standoff on Thursday as a long-simmering dispute over post-Brexit fishing rights escalated in the English Channel. France deployed two maritime patrol boats to the waters off the British Channel island of Jersey, its navy said, after the British Navy dispatched two of its own vessels to the area late Wednesday.”
All we have to do is look at history to understand that the Brits and the French do not like each other very much, but I thought in our modern day and time that we were past all that. Apparently, those roots of bitterness run deep and long.
Bitterness is an ugly thing. Twice in the NT we are taught about bitterness. Ephesians 4:31 tells us that bitterness must be removed from us. “All bitterness, anger and wrath, shouting and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice.” [HCSB]
Then in Hebrews 12:15 we are warned about a root of bitterness. “Make sure that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no root of bitterness springs up, causing trouble and by it, defiling many.” [HCSB]
The Greek word used in both Scriptures for bitterness is “pikria.” It means bitterness, harshness. It comes from a root word “pikros” meaning poison.
Allowing bitterness to take root in our souls is like allowing a poisonous weed to spread in us, slowing strangling out our spiritual fruit and eventually killing our spiritual life. It consumes everything in its wake, sucking up the water of life until we are dry, parched and barren. Instead of dwelling in a wonderful garden full of God’s abundant life, we are living in a wasteland.
We cannot allow bitterness to take over. That means we must learn two things. First, not to take offense. Second, how to forgive.
