The Words of My Mouth - Open to Misinterpretation series 3

“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

How can we say those words on Sunday, but Monday thru Saturday live like we’ve never heard them? I’m as guilty as the next person. I’ve heard a message on Sunday morning that moved me to tears and tore at my heart until I cried in repentance. Then, the following Wednesday, as I’m moving through my day, all of a sudden I’m confronted by a thought of condemnation about someone or there’s a phrase someone says that sets me off. Where does my mind go immediately? It doesn’t go to comfort that poor soul who said those words to me. No! I think about how I can  get back at them! Where in the world do those thoughts come from?

Truth be told, there is much wisdom in knowing your enemy, who is a fallen angel called satan. He desires to turn our every thought onto his path of destruction. He wants to sever the wonderful relationship he knows we can have with our Savior. Why, he even puts words in our mouths to hurt the people we love the most! I’m ashamed to admit that I’ve used them myself.

There are great verses in James 3 that deal with the tongue (mouth).

But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the image of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My Brethren, these things ought not to be so.

We need to heed these verses every day. Not just when we feel like it or when we think of it, but make it a pattern to use every time our mouths open.

There are challenges and questions to ask yourself. Do you care enough to guard your mouth against letting it be used to hurt others? Do you care enough about your relationship with your Heavenly Father to not hurt him with your deep digs and careless jokes about family and friends?

Don’t be used by the enemy. Get into the Word and find out for sure what God says about your words. You’ll find healing and comfort there, just like the words we would like someone to speak to us.

Meet the Truth Head On - Open to Misinterpretation series 2:

There is an old phrase, “I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard that”—which means we could be millionaires for all the times we’ve heard something said.

I wish I had a nickel for every time I’ve heard someone say a comment about another person without any truth to back it up. Often, I’ll stop them mid-sentence and ask, “How do you know that’s true? Did you hear it straight from that person?” Oh-h-h, if looks could kill I would have been dead a long time ago!

Speaking the Truth of God’s Word is hard. Ephesians 4:25 says, “Therefore, putting away lying, let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another.” Lying about something or telling what the world calls a half-truth is wrong. Thinking we are joking about something is just words said in a comical way which can hurt another person. It’s not really fun or funny at all.

I’ve seen entire churches split apart because of a few misspoken or misinterpreted words that were hurtful. Was it worth all the pain they caused? Can there be any healing after these painful words are spoken? Possibly there can be forgiveness if it’s asked for.

If our hearts and souls are tuned into how Jesus walked during His life, I truly believe these words will not be spoken. They will wilt like mid-day picked flowers on a sticky summer afternoon. The Holy Spirit makes you aware when you say hurtful things. Remorse is immediate, but confession and asking forgiveness often is not.

Don’t let a misspoken word hinder any relationship you have. Meet the choice head on with God’s Truth. Allowing satan to be the winner in any conversation just isn’t an option for a true Believer.(sorry, I don't capitalize the word satan...he's very undeserving of the recognition)

When Words Aren’t Enough-Open to Misinterpretation series No. 1

I like technology. I like the way it allows you to interact with friends and family around the world with little or no interruption. I like the fact that you can even see someone through Skype or webcams for meetings so you can watch their reactions to what you say. There is nothing missing in interactions involving technology except one thing—the presence of a warm body.

I’ve never hugged my computer screen like I hug my grandkids. But when the only connection I have to them is through the use of Skype to see their beautiful faces, then I’ll take it. It’s better than the alternative of not seeing them and only hearing them through the phone.

But there is a disconnect when I use Skype that is ultra-impersonal. Have you ever felt that way?

It’s impersonal because I can’t see them looking right at me. I don’t know if they’re playing video games while they’re talking to me or what! Likewise, when I’m talking to a business associate on webcam, I can’t tell if they’re texting or IM’ing someone else while they’re talking to me. There is a small element of distrust involved in this way of communication and it can become very frustrating!

I am a proponent of eye-to-eye meetings. I know, I know, that’s not keeping up with the world, but in a face-to-face meeting I can actually feel the vibrations of the person I’m talking to. I can see those minor little twitches of their smile and nervousness in their eyes that is not detectable on a webcam. It’s felt, like static electricity in a room. If I were to equate it to anything it would be like a mother who instinctively knows when her child is lying. How does that happen? They’re able to watch firsthand the child’s reaction to a question asked of them. She just knows!

So is technology still great? Certainly. It’s just not my chosen mode of meeting someone for the first time. I daresay I’ll get reproof on this one but bring it on. We can meet for lunch and discuss it—or you can Skype me. ;-)