“WORDS….Echoing Through Eternity” is taking the place of Part 2 of “You & Me.”
I hope you are blessed and strengthened in your walk with God as you read.
Life is like a tidal wave at times. It sweeps over our attitudes, emotions, words, and actions. From the seemingly insignificant to the most meaningful words that we speak or don’t speak and should, the consequences can be monumental.
The Bible has a lot of say about our tongues. According to scripture, that many of us claim to “know and love,” there is much said. Some subject matters in the Bible have just a couple of verses to expound upon, but the Bible is full of scripture concerning the tongue.
There is no way to get around the subject of how we communicate today. WORDS, whether in spoken form or written, are still words. It is impossible to separate spoken words from written words because although the statistics vary, data shows that the average person texts or receives 59 to 89 texts per day. A lot of families text rather than TALK to one another from across the table, or back seat of a car. Marriages suffer because there is no quality time together because one or both partners are sitting there, texting, rather than giving to their loved one quality time and attention. It is a good way to create loneliness inside your own marriage and family. Have you ever sat in a restaurant and watched a whole family sitting there ignoring one another as they stare at their phones? I have, and it is the majority.
Much of the younger generation have never seen a landline phone or know what it is like to sit across from family and friends engaging in real communication. Many of our children and grandchildren do not have good memories of visiting one another by knocking on their door- because texting has become how they form relationships. There are dating websites, websites to find jobs, websites to advertise your skill and business, all of which are just part of today’s culture. We have sadly lost the art of talking face to face. Texting can be an easy way to gossip or talk about another human being. Social media and texting are an easy way to say things we’d never say to someone face. We wonder why hearts are growing lukewarm and cold! Have we become so insensitive that we fail to see that the words we are texting influence others in a multitude of ways- both good and bad? Technology is powerful. In the political realm, social media is used to influence a party or group’s agenda. The fact that untruths and exaggerations are being used doesn’t stop naive people to swallow it hook line and sinker as “truth.” The same is true with personal texting.
To conclude that social media is likely destroying more than it is achieving is an understatement. One side gets their messages out, and the other side reacts and gets their opposing response out. In almost all cases, it all creates an environment of disagreement, strife, and unrest. I wonder how worth it is to us individually, as well as collectively?
Have you ever known anyone that thinks they are superior in their knowledge and beliefs? We can all say yes to that one, for it is most of the population. That old saying that birds of the same feather flock together is SO factual. We pull in those that think like us and mimic us; we have lost the value of differences being GOOD and healthy.
It is HARD to develop valuable relationships with those who want everyone on their side, everyone to agree with them, and everyone to esteem them as “knowledgeable.” Where we may be knowledgeable, that doesn’t mean we are superior or know more. Yes it is hard to be around a “know-it-all,” but we fail to see that while we are pointing fingers at THEM in criticism, we are ourselves being the very thing we hate.
There are issues of no compromise for sure. Some examples are the truths of the Bible, facts of a situation, or the standards outlined in The Constitution of the United States. We have become a people in many ways where we either have such low self-esteem, or carry a spirit of pride, that if we are not careful we won’t see what is happening before our very eyes. We gather others into our little clicks and circles and guard that line making sure that no one that thinks different is made welcome, or allowed in. Differences should not make us enemies; they are quite needed and valuable. In the old testament of the Bible, covenants were built on differences, not on similarities. As a group, we become stronger in battle (spiritually and physically) more efficient, and safer when we have people that are different, think differently, and have different skills. It is no wonder that the world wants nothing to do with the church when they act like us. Attitudes speak loudly- even when we think no one sees it, or has the discernment to see it, they do.
Everyone has a skill(s), everyone has a personality differently than ours, and each person is created in the image of God. The Bible makes a big deal out of edifying one another and building others up. Much is said concerning being humble, KIND, loving, gentle, and merciful. We are to prefer others over ourselves. NO WHERE in the scripture will any of us find that it is acceptable to discuss others behind their back or spread our ill feelings around. Attitudes are like germs; they are so contagious. Just like love is contagious, so is dislike, criticalness, indifference and hate. My heart is grieved as we get further and further away from realizing that being Holy as He is Holy (I Peter 1:16) has everything to do with our thoughts and what we do with them. All sin starts with thoughts and just because someone agrees with us does not by any means, make us right, nor acceptable to God Almighty. Those things that are not acceptable to God, should equally be unacceptable to us. Paul said in I Corinthians 13 that we can have the tongues of men and angels, the gift of prophesy, understand all mysteries, all knowledge, have all faith but if we don’t have LOVE, we are but a clanging cymbal. It goes on to clarify what love is. Love is kind, it suffers long (patiently), it does not envy, it seeks not its own way, it is not easily provoked, it thinks no evil. It rejoices in TRUTH, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. Humm, how do we each measure up? It is important to know this answer for we cannot correct what we do not see.
Here are a few scriptures about the tongue and words we say whether by speaking, writing, or texting.
James 3:6 “And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. “
Psalms 120:2 Deliver my soul, O LORD, from lying lips and a deceitful tongue.
Psalm 120:3 What will He do to you, and what will be added to you, O deceitful tongue?
Proverbs 16:27 A worthless man digs up evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
Isaiah 50:11 Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who array yourselves with firebrands, walk in the light of your fire and in the firebrands you have lit! This is what you will receive from My hand: You will lie down in a place of torment.
Matthew 5:22 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, ‘Raca,’ will be subject to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be subject to the fire of hell.
Matthew 15:11 A man is not defiled by what enters his mouth, but by what comes out of it.”
Matthew 15:18 But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man.
Our words are a big deal. They give life, and they destroy hope. They make others feel loved and also make others feel insignificant, lonely and hurt. It is my prayer that we would all be honest with ourselves and make the needed changes. Your friends and those that think like you and agree with you won’t be judging you. It will be you, your words, and your actions with God and God alone. Think about that.
I would suggest that most of us might need to make some changes and create a new story with how we use our thoughts and therefore our words.
Matthew 12:36 “But I tell you that men will give an account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.”
Uniquely You 