11-3-2018

Good Morning All,

              Proverbs 10:20; “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.”

     When you were young, were ever told, “don’t talk like that, here.”  “Don’t use that kind of language, here; someone might hear you.”  “We don’t talk like that here.” It is funny how we choose to think that there are places that we can talk like that and that there are places that we can’t.  Even as we hear these things said, deep down we know that they don’t make sense.  Deep down we know that words that shouldn’t be spoken, or thought in one place are wrong in another.

    Yet we try and do it.  We go to church on Sunday and sing of God’s praises.  We speak of our faith; we raise our prayers.  We say, “amen” and “halleluiah”; we sound so holy but what do we say on Monday or Tuesday?  Do we sound so holy then?  How is it that we can so wonderfully sing God’s praises one day and the next attack and destroy our neighbor?

    How do we go from singing to God to slinging mud?  We finish the “Alleluia” chorus and then go right in to viewing someone as “a lazy, slob who has never worked a real day in their life.”  We take into our mouth the Lord’s Supper only to later spew out venom and disgust at our fellow man.  We look down on those who are hurting, seeing their problems as some innate weakness on their part.  We do this, often without thinking it all the way through.  We often respond in this fashion because we do not listen to our better angels, we listen to our own demons and our selfish pride.

    This is part of what Jesus was referring to when he said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do.”  Too often, we speak without thinking.  Too often we let our sinful nature lead when we need to let our faith step forward first.  We need to think before we speak.  It is an adage that your mother probably told you years ago and she was right.  That is what the proverb is about having a righteous tongue that speaks only after thought.  Our first impulse may be sinful, especially if it is in an area where we are easily tempted.  Part of fighting off temptation is recognizing it and fighting it.  Sometimes this is best done with patience and thoughtfulness. 

    Patience and thoughtfulness are not two words which describe the devil, for his is quick to speak and with little concern for those around.  Yet Christ often waited for a little bit before he spoke and his words were kind and gentle.  Which example should we follow?

    So take your time and think before you speak.  Let your tongue be silver.  Let the words of your mouth be praises to God both on Sunday and the rest of the week.  Let your mouth speak of his love for you and for all.  Let your mouth show God’s mercy.

Father of all goodness, use our mouths to speak your love and mercy.  Guide us by your Spirit to move away from anger and hatred that so often spews out.  Move us to love others as you have loved us.  Guide us to speak mercy to those around and move us to ask forgiveness when we have spoken words which hurt.  In the precious name of Jesus, our risen Savior, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret