I Peter 2:1-2  We are called to hope and holiness.. to rejoicing in spite of trials.. to endure in spite of testing... to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, ready to obey.  We are called to love fervently from our hearts and to surround ourselves with His Truth.  

So, Peter writes,  ".. putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the word that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.. " 

It is easier to focus on the "big" sins.. murder, theft, adultery, idolatry etc..  We are very aware of these things and feel the guilt and shame of those types of sin.  But, the sins that Peter focuses on here are just as evil and offensive to our God.  Even more so, I suppose, because we have a harder time acknowledging them.. confessing them.. and stopping ourselves from doing them.. 

Malice - wickedness; naughtiness, badness; depravity.. trouble;  Ok, we recognize these traits even if we don't call them by that word.  We can easily point it out in others.. our world is full of it, right?  But, do we see it in ourselves?  Do we excuse ourselves for being a "bit" naughty?  O Lord, help us!

Then, there's guile. Trickiness; craftiness, deceit.  We might call it being "underhanded".  Using a decoy.. a bait and switch.  To be sly and cunning and deceitful.  Peter says later, talking about Jesus in verse 22, quoting from Isaiah.. "who knew no sin nor was any deceit found in His mouth". As I tell my grandkids.. "words matter"!  Speak the truth, in love! Let us not try to trick or deceive anyone for any reason. 

Hypocrisy, envy, and slander are all written in the plural tense.  Unfortunately, it happens more often than we would like.. 

Hypocrisies - again, this deals with deceitfulness - play acting, pretending;  This is a common accusation against the church.. and maybe it should be.  It is easy to put on a costume of "holiness" on Sunday morning.. and then take it off, hang it up, and act in a whole different way the rest of the week.  We need to examine ourselves.. and ask the Holy Spirit to empower us to live holy and truth-filled lives every day and in all circumstances.  Again, "Lord, help us!"

Envies- jealousy, spite, ill-will;  Envy is hateful and resentful and consumes us if we don't deal with it.  It is more than just wanting what another has.. it is harsh and destructive.  It is the opposite of what God desires for us.. for He wants us to be thankful, content, kind, and loving. 

Lastly, Peter says for us to put aside "all slander". ..all "evil-speaking".  Defamation, back-biting.  Maybe Isaiah was thinking of this when he cried out.. "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips!" ( Isaiah 6:5)  O how thankful we can be that God healed Isaiah's lips and He will heal ours too!

Heavenly Father, You have allowed us to taste "the kindness of the Lord".. and we are so thankful.  May the power of Your Spirit at work in us  - enable us to put away all of these things that are not pleasing to You. Again we pray for the Word of Truth to fill us so that we might "grow in respect to salvation".  Feed us on this Bread of Life..  and we will be filled and transformed !  Forgive us our sins, Lord God, as we forgive those who have sinned against us. By Your Grace, may Your will be done in each of us. We ask this in the Name of Jesus, our perfect, sinless, and precious Lord. Amen.