Stop those curses!

 Almost every day, I receive a text message that requires me to forward the same message to ten or so persons to avoid a curse. And sometimes a similar message goes through my email.

Most of the time, I just ignore the message and delete it. Instead of shivering in my shoes, I just bank on the promise that my God has given me that He will protect me for greater is He that is in me than he that is of the world.

Other times, I am tempted to send a text or email back that admonishes the person for believing in the message more than God and there are times when I get a response which says “sagdi nalang gud. Wa bitaw mawala nimu kung imu ra nang tumanon.” (Just leave it. Anyway you won’t lose anything if you just follow.)

And that is where we are wrong. First, you lose the pesos that you spend in forwarding the message. Next you lose time in doing so. Third, you may lose your friend who will wonder why you are passing on a curse to him or her. And fourth, and most important of all, you lose your faith.

I have decided to talk about these forwarded “curses” seriously because it sometimes makes me cringe with despair when I get a message of this sort. I go through the wonderment of asking, “Why did my FRIEND pass on to me a message that carries a curse with it?” Knowing how busy I am most of the time, I can definitely not forward the message in the number of minutes prescribed (because yes they do have the nerve to ask you to respond in so-so minutes!) So if the curse were true, I would have died a million deaths! As we all know, these messages are threats and cannot be carried out. But the messages God gives us in the Bible, He carries out.

Sometimes, there are forwarded blessings and these I take on, even though I know following such would somehow add to the income of some network. I do so only because the message has a relevant concern like spreading the gospel or some campaign that encourages people to participate in an advocacy or a message of good tidings for the season celebrated.

Some chain messages catch me cynical especially when it goes… “You are thought of as a friend who cares, loves, and goes through great lengths for another friend. Have a good day great friend! Forward to all your great friends. If you think of me as a great friend too, then do forward to me as well.” Gosh! I don’t need a text message to prompt me to give my appreciation to my friends for I can do it spontaneously without needing them to appreciate me back. Affection and love is earned, not spent for.

Pardon me if I sound disgusted. I am not. I am simply wistful. Hoping that we take care to keep our money, our friends, and our faith in the choice of messages we pass on for I do recall that passage in the Bible which says “out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” 

Is fear abundant in your heart? Is lack of attention prodding you to seek notice? Do you have too much money or load to spend? Do you have nothing to do with your time?

Put your energies to good use. Study God’s word and discover the many messages He has for you there. His promise of protection, justice, abundance, peace, joy, life everlasting! He can give you the best attention 24/7. Place your money on a ministry that way you can help others too and have a meaningful use of your resources, time and talent.

Stop passing on those curses.