A WORD FOR TODAY, July 16, 2026
Peggy Hoppes
We pray you are blessed by this daily devotion.
Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, July 16, 2026
“Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, WEB
The stories often focus on a manipulative relative that uses lies to make another an outcast because of some scheme that will fill bank accounts with family inheritance meant for someone else or hide some accounting discrepancy. The victim in these stories is usually the narrator or main subject and learns quickly that something is wrong. They begin rethinking a lifetime of relationships, open a laptop, and begin taking notes. They review texts, check paperwork, and discover discrepancy. Some of the stories include processes that were started decades earlier by the elder whose estate is in question. They see broken relationships, predict the manipulation, and do everything necessary to protect the victim. Lawyers and forensic accountants are hired to build a case against the greedy family member. In the end, the scheme is proven, the manipulator loses everything and is sometimes sent to prison for criminal actions. The victims often inherit estates worth millions of dollars.
I don’t know why these stories fascinate me; usually make me sad or angry. I can’t imagine living in a family where people scheme against one another, willing to hurt siblings, cousins, or even children for the sake of financial gain. Too many of the stories set a mother-in-law as the villain, describing her as the manipulative one, causing a husband to doubt his wife and marriage. Sadly, I know these things happen in real life even though these are stories created by artificial intelligence. I truly hope they are few and far between.
The reality is that all families have issues. I was grateful to my siblings when I had to deal with my parents’ estate. They trusted me to do what was right. It wasn’t hard because there was not an estate worth millions of dollars. There was no property or huge bank accounts. I kept a car but compensated my siblings with a few extra dollars from the accounts. I can’t imagine trying to manipulate anyone I am supposed to love to make life better for myself.
The saddest part of these stories is how easily people are able to throw away family members. That’s probably the most real part of life in our world today. How many families have been torn apart by ideology, by misunderstandings, and yes, by greed? I’ve read that many children of a certain generation have decided that their families are toxic and they are quietly separating from parents and siblings, not to get anything, but because they think their life will be better. This has come through social media posts, from friends who suggest that their problems are from those relationships. They convince one another that they don’t need family, that establishing boundaries is the only way to move forward with their lives.
There may, indeed, be reason to break toxic relationships like those I read in the AI stories. However, it is always important for us to consider our own fault in the brokenness, because we are all sinners in need of a Savior. The Christian faith is about reconciliation, and working through our disagreements is the only way for peace for all involved. Parents who seem to have lost their children to the world may need to let go, let them find their place, and pray for their prodigals to find grace to return home. Children who think they are escaping something toxic need to be certain that their concerns are real and not informed by people who are not really speaking in their best interests.
Love is patient with those whom God has put in our lives, and He calls us to behave appropriately, always working toward making things right to the glory of the God who put us into those relationships for a reason. God will help us live the words of Paul, loving one another through good times and bad. Truth will bring light to all these situations and will help us bear one another’s burdens, believe in God’s forgiveness for each of us, hope for restoration, and endure the troubles with the strength of God until the day when He will make all things right.
When I write A WORD FOR TODAY, it will be posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Word-for-Today-Devotional/339428839418276.
To receive this devotional via email, visit https://groups.google.com/g/awordfortoday.