Mistakes, Misunderstandings and Messages

I don't like it when the preacher has been eavesdropping at my house.  At least that is how it feels.  Maybe you've experienced it also--when the message seems to be directed straight at you.  Like he heard everything that went on.  Really it is because God is the One who knew and He is the One speaking to us.

Let's be honest for a minute.  Have you ever done or said something and immediately regretted it?  Maybe what you did or said wasn't really bad or meant to be harmful but was taken that way by someone else.  Has that ever happened to you? It has to me. And then how did you feel?  If you are like me you felt horrible, broken-hearted, nauseataed and depressed.  You probably had several sleepless nights following the incident as well.  There is no way you can correct the situation or take back the actions or the words.  All you can do is sincerely apologize and hope that God will help them forgive you for your recklessness.

Which leads back to the preacher and his eavesdropping.  Sunday the sermon was on the key word of "consider"  and began with Haggai 1:5 Now therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways" and he ended the introductory reading with verse 7, "Thus saith the Lord of hosts; Consider your ways."  And all of the in-between verses were good reminders. THEN, he spent what seemed like 2 hours (but I know it really wasn't) on considering your words....  Um, excuse me, is there a way I can get out of here without anybody seeing me? (Doubtful since we sit on the 2nd row.)  Could I slink down in the pew far enough that I could hide?  Nope, that wasn't happening either.  So all I could do was sit and listen as he and He reminded me that words can be harmful even when you don't want them to be.

As I listened, I knew exactly what the point was--that I (we) have to learn to control my (our) tongue and to consider our words BEFORE we just blurt them out--even in jest. I've always had a big mouth.  I've always talked when I should have been listening.  At church camp my nickname was Motor-mouth Mitchell.  You get my drift.  This is an area that I have ALWAYS had trouble with. And something I NEED to get under control.  And even though people say you can't teach a old dog new tricks, maybe an old woman can learn a new way of behaving.  And thankfully, God is forgiving to us over and over and He will be the One to help me get it together.

So over the past few days I've spent some time looking up some Bible verses about words and the tongue and what God has to say about them.  Here are a few:
Proverbs 18:21 - "Death and life [are] in the power of the tongue:..."
Proverbs 13:3 - "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: [but] he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction."
Proverbs 21:23 - "Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles."
(Boy, ain't that the truth!)

Then this verse became my prayer, Psalms 19:14 - "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer."  Because I, and maybe you, need to be reminded daily that everything we say should only bring glory to God, that we should be encouragers, and let our words be as these: "Pleasant words [are as] an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones." Proverbs 16:24

To all of those who have been hurt or discouraged or angered by my (or someone else's) hapless words, I (on my behalf and theirs) humbly ask for your forgiveness.  And I pray that God will make your hearts tender enough to forgive.  And when I or we mess up again (which I can pretty much guarantee with happen), I hope you will remember that God is still working on each of us and through His grace and mercy we will one day be perfect in Him.

I will close with this verse:  Proverbs 4:23 "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."