The Antidote Keep your tongue from evil, and your lips from speaking deceit. Depart from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. Psalm 34:13-14 We avoid sickness. When an item at the grocery store is recalled or we hear of a friend getting food poisoning from a local restaurant, we avoid the culprits of the disease. If only we were this cautious when it came to our words. Words may seem fragile and weightless, but the truth is that they can harm both the speaker and the listener. Two of the greatest culprits are flattery and gossip. Flattery is lying: we create empty words that contain only a kernel of truth; we delude the person being flattered, blinding them to reality. We also delude ourselves, hiding our real thoughts and beliefs behind a mask. Gossip may seem harmless because it is done in secret, but the ideas spread about another person can damage their reputation, opportunities, and relationships. The person we influence most with our negative words is ourselves. If we are not careful, these thoughts and words create a well-worn path in our hearts that leads us to have a bitter and judgmental spirit. The only antidote is God and His love. It is only as we remember and embrace His generous grace toward us that we can extend it to others. Will you accept and extend His grace today? Its not necessary to blow out your neighbors light to let your own shine. M. R. De Haan
Posted on: Thu, 22 May 2014 14:33:03 +0000
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