Friday, March 22, 2013

The Tongue - a creative force!


Our tongues are a creative force. Did you know that? Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." What are you creating with your tongue?

I have observed how we (people) frame things by our descriptions and our opinions of events, places, people. Think about it; someone says, "I love that restaurant," and suddenly, you want to try it too! Someone else will say, "Oh the service at that place was terrible," and there you have it, if you don't have your own experience to glean from, you don't ever want to go there based on one person's statement.
In light of this, think about how you frame your words about people. Stick to the truth but also try to build-up rather than tear-down. Have you ever met someone who you had previous "information" about from another person first?  Then you come to find out that the picture they painted of this person was not at all accurate to you? I know I have. I have seen it.




Someone will say, so and so is mean, or rude or whatever, but that was ONE person's opinion and sometimes that ONE person can be totally WRONG!  I have had this done to me as well.  People will say things like, "Wow, you are not at all like so-and-so told me you would be!"  YIKES - that was a hard thing to hear.  Someone else was going before me to "share" and "paint" a picture of me that was not at all true.  Words can frame.  What are you building?

When trying to form an opinion on someone, you need to seek counsel from MANY witnesses.  2 Corinthians 13:1 says, "...EVERY FACT IS TO BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES." - NASB.  Don't just form an opinion because one person said so.  Better yet, check a few sources...and don't check from the same pond if possible.  Don't ask the "friends" or "enemy" of a person, try to get other's input too.

I really try to take information and things to the Lord to sift them, to find truth, not to people. Ask God to show you the truth and you know what? He will! He is faithful like that! Don't allow people's opinion to shape you. Guard your heart with ALL diligence! It's easy to let someone we love and respect (like a friend) CHANGE our view on someone or something because we are following man and not God. Believe it or not, God has a STRONG opinion on most matters. Take the time to find God in the equation. Your time spent will be well worth it!

It's easy to follow people, especially those we love and possibly even respect but PEOPLE fail...God NEVER fails! HIS opinion is what we need to seek, find and trust! HE is faithful like that! It may not be POPULAR or even politically correct today (unfortunately) to follow God but it is ALWAYS worth it! His ways are higher than our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts! His sheep HEAR His voice...sometimes we just need to stop and listen to hear Him on the matter.