We all have those people in our lives. The more time you give them, the more time they seem to need with you. As soon as you are done with one meeting, they request another. You’ve just finished a conversation on a difficult issue and they bring up another. Some call these people draining. In Christian circles, they are referred to as “EGR” or “extra grace required” people. However, there is another, more popular label for these people…toxic.

Toxic people are those who don’t support your dream. They are the one’s who keep you from growing and going where you hoped. What are we to do with such people? How are we to relate and interact with them? Should we give them more and more of our time until we are utterly drained? Is it better to never meet with these people? Is there a middle ground or is cutting off toxic people our best option? I think there is a better way…

…people actually presuppose that problematic people are the problem.

Joel Kurz

This idea to “cut off toxic people” is something I have encountered more and more over the past several months. The most frequent is that of people “snoozing” or “unfollowing” people on social media. While I get the desire and practice I really appreciate Joel Kurz’s deeper analysis of what is really going on in our hearts when we believe the “False Gospel: ‘Cut Off Toxic People‘”.

I’m not saying Joel says everything on this subject however, I think his insight and thought process adds something to the conversation that is often missing. I’d love to hear your feedback and reactions to his article. As always be with the Lord’s people on the Lord’s day!