Apparently whenever she texts the word "sorry," her phone's autocorrect changes it to "dirty." You can imagine that can create some rather puzzling and quite humorous texts. Things like "I"m so dirty..." Yeah, I'll leave it at that.
But what makes it even funnier is this friend is one of the sweetest, most gentle women I know. And she's almost as clueless as I am about technology (notice I said almost--she's still miles ahead of yours truly). I'm wondering if one of her children has been messing around with her phone and playing a trick on her. hmm.
What really got me tickled is I've just been reading all about the deadly power of the tongue in the book of James. What a vivid reminder that our words--every single one of them--make a tremendous difference.
"But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the image of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water." (James 3:7-12)
Here's what I couldn't stop asking myself--is my tongue a source of blessing to my family, friends, and acquaintances, and to my Lord...or is it sometimes a putrid source of cursing?
Or perhaps more aptly--does my tongue bless and build up others...or does it crush and tear them down? There's such power in the tongue of a mama. Or for that matter, a dad...or sibling...or friend.
Just the other day, we'd run to dinner and were caught in the midst of a downpour. The rain fell in torrents, and we were stuck inside watching sheets of rain flood the street and sidewalks. We finally ran to our car, getting soaked in the process. But on the drive home--even while the rain still fell--we were stunned to see a magnificent double rainbow! Wow.
Oh my, how I want my words to be like those described in Prov.16:24 "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones." On the other hand, I never, ever want to be described "A perverse man [who]sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends."(Prov.16:28)
Father, we pray that our words would be springs of refreshment, hope, and joy to our families, our friends, and to all with whom we come into contact. We join the Psalmist in praying: "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer." (Ps.19:14)
God gave us a mouth to bless, encourage, comfort, thank, sing, and worship. Yes, sometimes we need to confront or correct...but oh might we far, far, far more often use our tongues to build up and bless. Might we seek to be the rainbow rather than the rain.
Lord, we pray that the meditation of our hearts and the words of our mouth would bring You glory everyday and in every way.
To God be the glory.
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