Wednesday, January 04, 2012

I Can't Believe You Said That....

Old post, new circumstances.... Actually, this post might refer to several circumstances right now. It seems as though the world has gone mad and we are along for the ride. 

Sunday, January 03, 2010

But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
James 3:8

Extenuating circumstances have left me contemplating the power of the tongue and how quickly words can destroy character and reputation. Words can be a healing balm or a deadly poison. Once released, poisonous words seep deep into the heart and soul, set on a course to destroy. They can never be totally undone or erased no matter how sorry the speaker may be.

Words reveal the condition of the heart, as Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks." The mouth is a leaky seal releasing the contents of the soul. Where the heart is given to God, blessings will come forth, but where lies and deceit reside, cursing will pour out.

As you may have guessed, we are struggling with the effects of an unbridled tongue and seeking the wisdom of God in how to deal with the situation. It would be easy, in some ways, to lash back, but that is not a real solution as we are not seeking to alienate, but restore. (At least that is what we want to want. The truth is, sometimes it is difficult to pray a blessing on those who hurt us. That is, none the less, what Jesus desires us to do, and we want to follow Him)

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
Psalm 19:14

5 comments:

  1. Sorry that you are dealing with yet another situation. :\ I will pray for restoration.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Way back when... I did say I was sorry, didn't I??
    Extra sorry now.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Judi, you and I have faced our differences and ironed everything out. I love you and am thankful for your friendship. You need not fear.

    "Way back when" was when a young girl spread dirty lies about herself and one of my boys. It was difficult to come to terms with the fact that she was the origin of the rumors. Sadly, I highly doubt she was sorry at all.

    Present circumstances have once again brought to light the eternal truth that our words are very often our own worst enemy. Whether is be a son setting a fire to his own home with the intent to kill everyone inside, and claiming abuse, the use of vulgar profanity on Facebook, or the telling of lies or revealing of "family secrets," once spoken (or posted on the internet) they can never be totally undone. All that remains is the hope of forgiveness.

    ReplyDelete