Reckless Words February 24, 2008

Reckless Words

Proverbs 12:18 “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”

Have you ever been the recipient of reckless words? Perhaps you can still picture the place, and incident of when it happened. Perhaps there are still “scars” from that piercing. Oh the pain!! 

But even more, have you ever been the source of reckless words? The one who spewed them out of your mouth!! As you well know, reckless words are usually not thought out very well. They are those times when we speak before we think. Or maybe we have thought about it so long, and “just can’t take anymore”, and decide you have the right to speak your mind!! I have done just that, and immediately have wished I hadn’t. As James 3:8 says, “but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” What chance have we then? If I can’t control my tongue, then who can? Or do I just let it be unruly?

I wonder how many wounds have I caused in people’s hearts? I am afraid if I knew, I would hardly be able to forgive myself, but God already has. He has buried those words in the sea of forgiveness. What is the answer to our dilemma? Where do we start to change our words from piercing to healing? It needs to come from the heart. Jesus said,  “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). We need a change of heart. If we truly love others, we can hardly speak rashly and destructive to them. If we love others, we want to bless them. 

I think of children. We, as parents, can pierce our children’s heart so easily. Those words are not soon forgotten. How often have you heard yourself say to your child, “How stupid are you? Can’t you do anything right?”  Start listening to your words as you speak to your children. Are those words of healing, or destruction? In Haiti, children are not usually respected so well. They are often humiliated in front of others. I cringe at some of the words I hear parents say to their children. Words which should never be spoken to a child.

God is the only One who can tame the tongue. The only One who can tame it to bless others to give healing words. What a comfort on a gloomy day to have someone bless you with words of comfort and healing!!

Let’s come before the Lord, and ask for a tongue that is tamed, and speaks those healing words.

May you be blessed!

Barb

Me, Stupid?? February 10, 2008

Me, Stupid??!!

Proverbs 12:1 “Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction  is stupid.”

After reading this verse, (I have read it many times) it amazes me that God hasn’t called it quits with us all. The world is filled with “stupid” people. That is a very harsh word, but God says it. Now am I one of the stupid ones? Do I turn my back on correction and discipline?

Often God’s discipline is not accepted as a positive action. Why would God send an army of His people into the desert, after being slaves for over 400 years? Why not put them on a mountain top or beautiful lush green valley, where life is wonderful and all their needs were readily available? Wasn’t slavery enough of a punishment? God wanted His people to have knowledge, to know Him and how to live for Him. In spite of His discipline, their hearts were turned to the godless nations around them. Does this sound at all familiar?

We really don’t need to ask God “why?”. He is God, and we are not. He sees the whole picture, we do not. Many times God disciplines us to give us boundaries, and so that we become people of knowledge and wisdom. We need to learn to see life the way God sees it. 

I have been reading the book of Hosea, and what I see in this book is a stubborn, rebellious people with a Great and Loving God. Hosea 4:6 says, “my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.” So there is a reason for knowledge.  So when I refuse to listen to God, and refuse to accept His discipline, I am destroying myself.

Just as parents, we discipline our children so that they will have understanding and knowledge on how to live. If we leave our children to decide their own boundaries, by the time they are teenagers, they are already on the way to destruction. Look around you, what do you see?? Crime, drugs, theft, a generation of unruly people. Prisons are full, and so we build larger ones. Prisons are not the answer, but God is!!  Yet we are not to mention the Name of God in schools or public places. We are destroying ourselves!! 

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our children would thank us immensely after being disciplined? Yes, well I don’t remembering doing that either. Often I forget to thank God for His discipline. So when things go “wrong” in my life, I need to search my heart and see if it may be  a “right” instead of wrong. God has sent discipline to bring more knowledge.

I pray that neither you nor I are called “stupid” by God. I hope that we accept the discipline God brings our way. Just think about this, God didn’t plan for the Israelites to walk in the desert for 40 years. They did that to themselves because they refused to obey God. Have you been walking in the same miserable path for too long a time? Do you think there may be a reason for that?

I am not saying here, that everything will be “just right”, but our attitudes will be different and our hearts be thankful. We will have listening hearts. Then God can make beauty from our pain, bring to joy to sadness, hope in a hopeless situation.

Love Discipline!! Leave the stupid group! 

Hebrews 12:5-6,  “…my son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he love, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”

Be Blessed

Until next time

Barb