Whose words?

     Whose words are you listening to and heeding?  Really.
     I was struck by this yesterday afternoon when I felt a bit hurt by the tone of some words used by one of my family members.  That person never intended to hurt me by something they said, but yours truly felt the unintended brunt of the words.
     Right afterward, I took my little seed of irritation outside to our deck and sat down--thankfully--with the Word.  The right Word!  Here was my intention--sit in the sun and nurse and grow that tiny little seed of hurt feelings into a giant-sized beach ball of bitterness and self-righteousness.  Yeah, that's always a really helpful, healthful response, right?  Wrong.
     Praise God He had other plans.  For I half-heartedly opened the Word that I should be heeding and taking to heart, and, no kidding, the whole lesson was on the words of Jesus!  Can you believe that?  You can't outrun the Savior (thank goodness)!
     I read passages like--
     "And all spoke well of Him and marveled at the gracious words that were coming from His mouth." (Luke 4:22)  Does grace flow from my mouth?  If my heart is full of bitterness and bile, then grace will never flow from my lips.  Forgive me, Father.
     "And they were astonished at His teaching, for His word possessed authority." (Luke 4:32)  Whose words do I truly listen to as the authority for my life?  Am I taking to heart what others say?  Am I listening to idle gossip?  Or am I savoring the joy of hearing the authoritative words of the God of the universe?  Why would we ever settle for anything less than His words?
     "Heaven and earth will pass away; but My words will not pass away." (Luke 21:33)  Okay, remind me again--is your focus upon the temporary and imperfect or the eternal and perfect?  Because if heaven is our destination and eternal life is our most prized possession, then why on earth are we putting so much weight on words that are like a puff of wind--gone in a moment--rather than the words of the Word that will last for eons and eons and beyond?   Duh.
     "The words I have spoken to you are spirit and life." (John 6:63)  Words of death and destruction or words of life, love and the spirit--is there really a choice here?  Pay attention, people, to the words you are listening to, focusing upon...and giving out to others!
     And finally, one of my favorites, when good old Peter responds to Jesus after the Savior has asked them if they will leave Him like so many of the other fickle followers.  Peter answers, "Lord, to whom shall we go?  You have the words of eternal life..."  Indeed.  Jesus' words not only give us life and light, but they are the actual words of eternal life.  Why on earth would we give serious consideration to any infinitely lesser words?  Why don't we always--first and foremost--seek and savor the words of eternal life?      
      So, just a little reminder--words matter.  Go to the Word for the words that matter most.  Go to the Word to hear words of wisdom, correction, hope, joy, love, and eternal life.  And then, out of the overflow of your heart, give out words to others that share all that light and life of Christ.
      To God be the glory.