Better or Worse?

 Life and death are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)

Most of what follows is a talk I'm having with myself as I pray for the Holy spirit to cleanse me of my foot-in-mouth disease.  

We all like to think our words help, not hurt.  Most of us mean well. If someone said we’d wounded them with something we said, we might be a little surprised. “What? That’s not what I meant.”  

But let’s be honest. We’re all walking around with our own bumps and bruises, and sometimes they spill out when we speak. Others have spoken to us out of their pain, and we do the same. So maybe it shouldn’t shock us when our words don’t always land the way we hoped.

The truth is, our words will leave someone feeling better or worse. There’s not much in-between.

When we leave a conversation, we ought to leave the scent of Christ behind.  We should listen more, talk less, and walk away knowing we cared about the other person’s heart - just like Jesus does.  

Speaking of caring, I’ve also noticed how we don't always (me especially) filter our words through kindness. We can all dredge up memories of words we spoke or observed other speak that were imprudent and hurtful. 

Boy do I wish I had a 10 second timer on my mouth that kept me from replying so quickly.         

Now, I wish - really wish, I could believe every time I leave a conversation, someone feels uplifted and encouraged. I like to think of myself as positive person by nature. And a good bit of the time, I might show that.  

But other times? Man, I leave thinking, "You talk too much."  (I'm sure everyone who knows me will nod in agreement with that one.)  It's funny how when we don’t know what to say, we sometimes say too much. Somebody said, "Never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut.” I pray I learn to do that more as I cruise into the back nine of my life.  

Small But Mighty

That small muscle in our tongue is outsized in its power.  We can use it to taste, talk sing and smile. We can bless and curse with it.  We can lift up or tear down. Speak life or spread death.

The Bible puts it plainly: Life and death are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21)

But let’s be clear - it’s not the tongue’s fault - don't blame the messenger. The real issue is deeper. Jesus said, what comes out of our mouths starts in the heart. (Matthew 15:18)

So maybe instead of asking, “Did I say the right thing?” maybe we should ask, "What’s going on in my heart?”

Because if the heart’s right, the right words will follow.

Pray for me and if any of this is helpful, pass it along.

Soli Deo Gloria. 

Guard The Heart

The Bible emphasizes guarding the heart, and we should see that as mind, emotions and will.  It is helpful to see all emotions and actions as flowing from the more basic thing - our minds, or to be more precise, our beliefs.  What we believe in our mind determines our emotions and actions.

Believers guard their hearts by actively focusing their thoughts and affections on God, rejecting sinful influences, and seeking the Spirit’s guidance. These teachings align with biblical calls to protect the heart and mind, such as those in Proverbs 4:23 and Philippians 4:7, by rooting them in a disciplined, God-centered inner life.

Here are key verses supporting this idea:

Proverbs 4:23: "Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it." This verse underscores the heart’s centrality to one’s actions and choices, urging vigilance over what influences it.

Philippians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." This suggests that aligning with God’s peace protects both heart and mind from harmful influences.

Psalm 119:11: "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." Storing God’s Word in the heart (and mind) acts as a defense against sin, implying active effort to internalize truth.

Matthew 15:18-19: "But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. For out of the heart come evil thoughts—murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander." Jesus links the heart to thoughts and actions, highlighting the need to guard it to prevent sinful outcomes.

Romans 12:2: "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is   - his good, pleasing and perfect will." Renewing the mind through God’s truth is a form of guarding it against worldly influences.

2 Corinthians 10:5: "We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." This calls for active control over thoughts, aligning them with Christ to protect the mind.

These verses collectively stress the importance of protecting the heart and mind by focusing on God’s Word, rejecting sinful influences, and seeking divine peace and guidance. Guarding the heart involves intentional choices about what we allow to shape our thoughts and desires.

The Westminster Larger Catechism has some great insight into this subject, so I recommend reading questions: 28, 72, 95-96, 102, 105, 182

And may God bless you in this faithfulness. 

Finding and Sharing Your God-Given Gifts

"Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." 
                                      ~ 1 Peter 4:10

I had the privilege of hearing a dear friend give his last sermon to our Church yesterday.  It reminded me to be thankful of God's grace in endowing gifts upon the saints to be used to build up the body of Christ. 

Pablo Picasso once said, "The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away." He must have recently read Peter, because this insight resonates deeply from a Christian worldview, reflecting the biblical call to discover and use our God-given talents for the glory of God and the good of others. To do so is an act of    worship and love.

The Westminster Standards remind us that our chief end is "to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." This foundational truth shapes our purpose, directing every aspect of our lives - including our talents - toward magnifying God’s greatness. Our gifts are not accidents; they are divine gifts meant to reflect God’s grace and creativity. When we use them to serve others, we fulfill our ultimate purpose of glorifying Him.

We are called to give generously, trusting that our offerings will bear fruit for His kingdom.

So we thank our brother for so readily sharing his gifts, bearing fruit in God's kingdom. We pray he will continue to bless the neighbors in his new home with those gifts he so readily shared with us again and again.  

And for all of us, let us find our gift, for it is God’s design in us.  Give it away, for in serving others, we love our neighbor, glorify God, and fulfill his divine purpose.

Soli Deo Gloria