On March 10, 2011, an earthquake off the coast of Japan set off a series of disastrous events. When the earthquake occurred, Tokyo Electric Power Company shut down the reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power plant.

Three days later, flooding caused by a tsunami spawned by the earthquake knocked out power to the plant. Without power to cool the reactors, they melted and spilled their toxic contents. Radioactive particles contaminated the region’s water supply and atmosphere.

While no immediate fatalities occurred due to the radiation spill, only time will reveal the accident’s long-term health impact. Toxic matter has a way of slowly and quietly inflicting damage.

What Do Toxic People Look Like?

I’ve noticed the same toxic effect from some people. Over the course of time, they inflict damage to individuals, churches, and other teams and organizations. How can we identify these toxic people?

1. Critical Spirit.

Toxic people seldom see the positive in anyone or any situation. They often appear to support those whom they hold dearest, but they even temper their words of support with negativity. They never seem to recognize that anything done correctly, and they find the most minute flaws in others. Even when someone does something nice for them, they quickly point out how the flaws they see.

2. Highly Opinionated.

You never have to wonder about a toxic person; they identify themselves quickly and clearly. They have an opinion about everything and every body, and one never has to coax their opinion from them. Many times their opinions are ill informed, but they never shy away from sharing them. They have a sense of entitlement. They deserve to have their opinion heard.

3. Easily Offended.

Since their toxicity has affected their own heart, toxic people do not shrug off offense easily. It usually does not take much to set a toxic person off into a personal meltdown. Most people who deal with them on a regular basis find themselves “walking on egg shells” around toxic people. While they hasten to criticize others, they snap should someone dare criticize them.

What We Should Do With Toxic People

The reactors in the power plant at Fukushima already contained radioactive matter. The earthquake and tsunami were outside forces that created an environment for the inside matter to ooze out.

Similarly, toxic people show their toxicity when something disagreeable happens to them or around them. The poison is already in their heart, but their circumstances cause it to ooze out, or in some cases explode. What should we do when we encounter toxic people?

1. Pray for them.

Jesus encouraged us to pray for those who oppose us (Matthew 5:43-48). Since a toxic attitude is at its root a spiritual issue, prayer is absolutely the best remedy we can offer. Pray that God would heal whatever is hurting them and making them embittered toward life.

2. Avoid them.

I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. – Romans 16:17

Do not let the toxicity of others infect you. Negative people have a way of making everyone else around them negative. Do not let someone else’s thunderstorm spoil your parade.

3. Guard your own heart.

Solomon wisely teaches us,

Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flows the springs of life. – Proverbs 4:23

Negativity may manifest itself verbally, but the toxicity resides in the heart. Negativity is a heart issue above all things. Jesus taught,

… Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. – Matthew 12:34

We will always encounter our life’s versions of earthquakes and tsunamis. We will be shaken to our core and feel overwhelmed by a flood of adverse circumstances. These are the moments that reveal our true character. We can prepare our hearts for those circumstances, so we ooze the fruit of the Spirit rather than radioactive negativity.

Some Questions for Detecting Radioactive Negativity

If we want to keep ourselves from toxic negativity we will examine our hearts daily. Here are a few negative seeds to look for and eradicate before they mature into full-blown radioactive nastiness.

1. Am I easily irritated or offended when something does not go my way?
2. Am I neglecting the regular reading of God’s Word and private prayer?
3. Would people who are around me most identify me as a positive person?
4. Do I have an opinion about almost everything, and feel the need to express it?