Taming the Tokolosh

“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no ‘root of bitterness’ springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled.”

—Hebrews 12:15

 In her new book, Taming the Tokolosh, Mandy Bass tells the story of the young man who broke into her home and nearly beat her to death. As her wounds healed, her anger grew into a bitterness she describes as a Tokolosh—a mythical monster who eats people from the inside out.

Why did this story capture the attention of a publisher? Mandy did something very unusual with her bitterness—she forgave her assailant, then worked to have the courts grant him leniency. Victim and attacker are now very dear friends. The young man is now a successful college graduate who has Mandy listed in his phone contacts as Mama Mandy.

According to Scripture, bitterness is a monster far more dangerous than a Tokolosh. It is a hungry beast that gobbles up our relationships, joy and peace. The key to taming the monster is to look beneath the hurtful actions of others. When we do, we see broken souls, not monsters. It’s easier to extend grace to a broken soul than a monster. Christ demonstrated the technique when He saw beyond our monstrous deeds and extended to us His grace and forgiveness.  

Today’s One Thing

As you come in contact with negative people, take a moment to look for the hurt behind their actions. Make the positive choice to forgive before bitterness takes root.

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