Can you answer the following questions?
Before blows start, there are words spoken. When I speak do I uplift or put down?
Imagine:
You have had a sore back for quite a while. At a church meeting you go forward for prayer and find out that it is really your hips out of line and as a result of prayer your legs physically grow.
What is my response when asked to share? Do I say it is for me or something else? What are the repercussions to my response?
“Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” (Luke 6:28.)
Imagine:
You do contract gardening and are asked to cut a native tree into a hedge so the view can be enjoyed. The decking is about five metres high. You decide it is cheaper to use a board of the decking to get to the further away branches. Your workmate sits on the end of the board while you lie on the board. You wriggle out too far and everything gives way.
As you are going down headfirst. What do you say? What are thinking?
You land on the ground hitting your tail bone. What are the first words you say? What should you say? What are the repercussions to your response?
“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them.” (Romans 12:14.)
Imagine:
You are driving down a four-lane highway. In the right-hand lane a car in front slows to 70kmph. What do you say?
You pass them, and as you go down the road you see them in the mirror still slow. What is God saying to you? Do you still grumble or say sorry and bless?
The Heart:
“A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.” (Luke 6:45.)
What do I listen to? What do I watch? How does it affect my heart? What does my heart feel like when I know the Spirit of God is upon me?
“In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire. And among all the parts of the body, the tongue is a flame of fire. It is a whole world of wickedness, corrupting your entire body. It can set your whole life on fire, for it is set on fire by hell itself.” (James 3:5-6.)
In my jesting what is the effect on others? E.g. Will Smith.
For the Scripture says, “If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days, keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies.” (1 Peter 3:10.)
Thoughts to Ponder:
What do you listen to?
What do you watch?
What words do you speak?
Blessings
Christopher Garton
Christopher lives in Karori on the outskirts of Wellington City where he has returned to his family home to keep his 90+ year old mum company. He attends Hope Beacon Hill Church in Upper Hutt.
Christopher was at the inaugural Promise Keepers meeting in the Hutt Valley when PK were asking for donations before starting up meetings. So, Christopher has been connected to Promise Keepers one way and another since the mid-1990s. He has been a regular attendee of our Friday morning discussion group.