Galations 5:1-10                                Leaven

THOUGHT FOR TODAY:    A little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough.  (NAS)
Galatians 5:9

    In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul reasoned with those who had been infused by wrong doctrine.  He compared the spread of evil doctrines in the church to the leaven, or yeast, in bread which has the capacity to change the makeup of the whole loaf.

    We can also use Paul’s illustration comparing the spread of yeast throughout the bread to the spread of insidious gossip and innuendo, which can change and alter a person’s reputation.  It only takes a little gossip to start the rise of negative attitudes.   

    But even as we think of those negative effects, we can also compare the leaven in bread to the positive changes that can be made in a person’s life by sincere words of encouragement and praise.  As those uplifting words saturate attitudes and feelings, lives can be revitalized and changed for the better.

    What kind of leaven are we?    

PRAYER:  Lord, let me spread joy instead of despair -- compliments instead of gossip --  empathy instead of indifference -- and comfort instead of strife, so that I may be good leaven.
Amen.