Good morning and happy Saturday. Let me be the first to welcome you to May. This year is flying by so we all must be having fun, right?
I hope you can join us tomorrow as we kick off our new series in the book of Colossians.
After a long day that began at 4 am, I plopped down in my chair to check emails, texts, and to catch up on the news. The TV was also on in the living room and the national “news” was just finishing. After that, one of those so-called entertainment news shows came on. Being too lazy to get up and take the three steps it would require to reach the remote, I just let it play as background noise. Please note that mindless drivel is not the same as listening to the waves lapping against the beach. At one point the show actually caught my attention. They were interviewing an older actor for some new show that is coming out. It caught my attention since I thought he had already died. No, this isn’t a Rambling about a Lazarus story. Anyway, in the brief snippet, someone else was making a comment. In the midst of it, she clearly used the F word as an adjective. The channel had made an attempt when editing it, but they beeped out the next word instead. So, in millions of homes, the F word was broadcast during what used to be the dinner hour. I had a couple of thoughts about this. First, sadly in most homes, no one noticed since that is what is said in most of the other shows that are watched on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, Satan TV, etc. Secondly, the beeping out of the wrong word reminded me of when someone says something and then puts their hand over their mouth. Once the word or words are out, it is too late. It is out there.
Having been gifted (or cursed) with a quick wit and a healthy dose of sarcasm, I know all too well what is like to say something and immediately regret it. Having learned from experience, simply putting your hand over your mouth afterwards doesn’t solve anything. Besides, your foot is usually already there anyway. It is for people like me, and maybe a few of you, that the Bible has a lot of advice on what to do with our words. Just focusing on the fruit of the Spirit for a while should change the manner in which we communicate with others. The book of James has a lot to say about our mouths. He advises that we should be quick to hear but slow to speak. Have you ever found yourself blurting something out without hearing the whole story? He talks about the scenario where a person praises God and yet also curses his fellow man with the very same mouth. Of course, James rightly points out this is not how it is supposed to be. He even talks about how the little tongue can cause enormous problems, like a small spark setting a forest on fire. The apostle Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians 4:29, “No foul language should come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear.” Other translations will use the terms “unwholesome talk” or “corrupt speech”. The point is that our words are to be used to build others up and not to tear them down. One pastor used to paraphrase this with these easy to remember words, “if it doesn’t build up then shut up.” I guess that means that some of us might need more quiet time in our lives.
In closing, here are the words from Jesus as found in Matthew 15:10-20.
10 Summoning the crowd, he told them, “Listen and understand: 11 It’s not what goes into the mouth that defiles a person, but what comes out of the mouth—this defiles a person.”
12 Then the disciples came up and told him, “Do you know that the Pharisees took offense when they heard what you said?”
13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father didn’t plant will be uprooted. 14 Leave them alone! They are blind guides. And if the blind guide the blind, both will fall into a pit.”
15 Then Peter said, “Explain this parable to us.”
16 “Do you still lack understanding?” heasked. 17 “Don’t you realizethat whatever goes into the mouth passes into the stomach and is eliminated? 18 But what comes out of the mouth comes from the heart, and this defiles a person. 19 For from the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, sexual immoralities, thefts, false testimonies, slander. 20 These are the things that defile a person; but eating with unwashed hands does not defile a person.”
That’s all I got to say about that…
From our neighborhoods to the nations,
Pastor Larry
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