It's interesting how, when we are faced with our sins, we may be willing to approach some of the easier ones.... but then there are others, usually the greater ones, that we'd rather just sweep under the rug and forget about. Today, the Lord decided to move the rug and call me to deal with one of my greatest sins. My Bible reading for today included Psalm 17 and this verse jumped off the page:
"Though you probe my heart and examine me at night,
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin." (V3)
though you test me, you will find nothing;
I have resolved that my mouth will not sin." (V3)
While I am not one to make
"resolutions" at the beginning of the new year, after reading your
letter, I did set a goal to be more careful of what I speak about and the
attitude behind my words. Needless to say I cannot say that God "will find
nothing" when He examines me. My mouth continues to be my greatest
nemesis!
It is in regard to this issue that I have to pray
over and over: "Lord, for the next 10 minutes will you help me to keep a
guard on my tongue. Will you help me to remember to THINK before I speak?"
The word THINK has been used as an acronym suggesting that before one speaks, these
questions should be asked:
1)
It is True?
2)
Is it Helpful?
3)
Is it Important?
4)
Is it Necessary?
5)
It is Kind?
As you and I both know, I don't always
remember to ask these questions... and so my mouth causes damage to myself and
others. I am TRULY sorry. Will you pray for me to learn to speak words that are
a healing balm to those who God places in my path?
This story comes to mind:
There once was a little boy who had a bad
temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost
his temper, he must hammer a nail into the fence. The first day the boy had
driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks as he learned to
control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily, gradually dwindled down.
He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into
the fence.
Finally the day came
when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the
father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was
able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to
tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son
by the hand and led him to the fence. He said “you have done well, my son, but
look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say
things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.” You can put a knife in
a man and draw it out. It won’t matter how many times you say I’m sorry, the
wound is still there. Make sure you control your temper the next time you are
tempted to say something you will regret later. (Author Unknown)
The fact is words poorly spoken, whether
in anger or by some other motive, leave scars behind. As the man told his
son "It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still
there." There lies the consequence of sin that I mentioned.
"My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world... We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.... I write to you, dear children, because your sins have been forgiven on account of his name." (V1-6,12)
It is my deepest desire to live a life
of obedience to God and that includes keeping a tight rein on my tongue. Like
the boy, I can't go back and remove the scars caused by past words. However, I
can strive to be sure that my hand no longer takes up the hammer to drive a
nail in the first place. I'm so thankful for a God who does not give up on my
in the midst of my failures.
"Because of
the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness."
~Lamentations 3:21-22
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