"Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble." --- Proverbs 21:23
(And personally? I believe it's time to return to a reverential fear of speaking against God's ministers.)
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So a friend told me they'd read that an evangelist said ________.
I replied, "Really? I listen to that person sometimes and he usually doesn't say weird things like that. Did you hear him speak those words? Or did someone else say he said them?"
My friend replied, "Well, I guess I read it in an article about him."
Hmm.
Days later I found the evangelist's personal blog post about the afore-not-mentioned topic and good grief! What he'd actually stated was the opposite of what he was quoted as saying.
Probably we all have pet peeves and Honey? Here's one of mine: It makes me bonkers when people do not check out the original source, themselves.
When they believe everything their trusted pastor/friend/spouse/teacher/neighbor/Aunt Gertrude tells them, even if the words sound 'off'. Even when God nudges them, saying, "Hey, you blasted through the conviction I sent to seek the original source."
Gossip: casual or unconstrained conversation or reports about other people, typically involving details that are not confirmed as being true.
Uh-oh. And the real tragedy? When we believe gossip and then refuse to listen to a minister whose teachings may have changed our lives.
How careful we must be with our words! Mindful of our heart and its responses.
How necessary to grow-up in Jesus, to obey Him, to mature so we stop making unintentional (but anointing-affecting) mistakes. Errors like these can, like a ship's rudder, guide our lives to choppy seas where wild waves thrash us around--
--when we could have sailed peacefully along in calm, smooth waters, instead.
"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." --- James 1:26
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]." --- Proverbs 18:21
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Is this a perfect craft idea for spreading around Easter, or what? --
Okay, this short video was too cool--and helpful. Self defense for anyone, including out-of-shape me!
Sometimes here in Buffalo our first day of Spring resembles this--
--but not this year! No, yesterday was gloriously sunny and after wiping down the front porch, I sat outside in the warm morning sunshine reading and celebrating. Oh, how grateful I was--and still am.
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If we desire to minister more meaningfully to others, God must be able to trust us with our words.
"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God ..." --- Ephesians 4:29,30
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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15
This is a post that means a lot to me. Untrue rumors can hurt people, even destroy people or a church. Our minister said in a sermon that people pointing out the sins of others must realize how odd that is since they too (all of us) sin. He said it is like swimming in the ocean and pointing out how the other swimmers are wet. I like that. Have a joyful day friend.
ReplyDeleteYes this is my second comment on this post, just to say I watched the self defense video you link to and it is good advice.
ReplyDeleteOur first day of spring was also very, very nice too. I took Zoey on a long walk along the trail and even had my sweater off before we walked a block! I saw my first Robin on Saturday and was SO excited about it, but then this afternoon I saw a flock of geese heading SOUTH. Oh no! Wrong way kids!
ReplyDeleteGreat video of the self defense. Thanks for that Debra!
Also, very good advice on watching our tongue. Some pastors and ministers also need to do that. We always need to verify what they are telling us is true and right according to the Bible and no other source. Never take what anyonW tells you at face value, check it out yourself according to God's word. I worry when I hear things from the pulpit that don't match up to God's Word, but are the pastor/ministers opinion. Also, back jokes/talking about people/etc. from the pulpit. Must guard that tongue.
Hope your Wednesday is amazing.
Blessings and hugs,
Betsy
We had a nice beginning of spring, too. Hallelujah! I, too, appreciated the video about self defense. So simple, yet I think it makes sense.
ReplyDeleteSometimes as I wade through various media sources, I'm unsure who to believe. It's not easy to know who we can trust. But one thing I do know for sure is that the Holy Spirit reveals absolute truth to us.
Kudos on this post. Often others don't realize that even spreading what they read/heard someone else say on social media about well-known pastors, political figures or so called stars in Hollywood is just a form of gossiping. I try to avoid all such nonsense, but only because as I started to share something, God quietly pointed out that I didn't KNOW whether that particular item was truth or not. I took my cursor off the 'share' button and sat back well and truly reprimanded!
ReplyDeleteRecently my husband has gotten caught up in videos that 'prove' well-known evangelists are crooked or wrong yet in listening to the actual sentences spoken given as examples it seems there's a different opinion in doctrine that is being disputed and not anything inflammatory in what is being said. I suggested gently that he ought to just avoid those videos in future and focus on listening to the sermons instead and he immediately agreed with me (lo and behold! lol).