October 29, 2020
Wisdom and Forgiveness – Psalms 39:1
If we have been properly in-home trained or educated we will have been taught how to speak with filters. Depending with whom we are speaking, we have a language that is spoken with certain people. For example, when speaking with our parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, teachers, or any other adult of the older generation from us, we should speak with them from a language of respect. When speaking with our peers we are more relaxed. When speaking with one that we are dating or espoused to the language spoken is more private when in certain settings when we verbally express our attraction and love for one another.
As CHRISTians we are to be mindful of how we verbally communicate because there are always ears that are hearing what is coming from our mouths. But not only are we to be mindful of what comes out of our mouth we must be mindful of our actions because people are watching us. Actions are the better demonstrator and teacher of who we really are. And our words must match up with our actions.
I can recall when my daily language was profanity with anyone in my peer group. I never realized just how much of a trash mouth I once had with my peers. That is until the day came when my beloved god-daughter said these words to me, “Shawn, why do you use profanity so much, you are so very educated and you choose to use profanity as though you have no other words in your vocabulary”. That caused me to stand still and go “wow”! After, thanking her for checking me, my first thought was something that my sixth-grade teacher once said to the class that I never forgot “people who use profanity, use those words because of their lack of an enriched vocabulary, and their lack of commanding how to speak with others”. I immediately returned to my office and opened my Bible and found Ps. 39:1 and I began to pray “FATHER send angels and place them over the hinges of my lips to guard my mouth against consistently using profanity when I speak with my peers”. I cannot tell you how long it took because I do not know all I can share with you is that in that same year I was told that it had been several months since profanity had been heard coming from my mouth. And I began to praise the LORD because I was not aware that I had ceased speaking in that manner. Now, am I disclosing to you that I do not use profanity at all? Nope. I can go for months and never utter one word of profanity when communicating among my peers. I do find myself speaking profanity among my long-time companion when speaking intimate with him or when I have allowed anger to get the better of me.
In those times when I have allowed anger to get the better of me which is not often, it is here that I stand in awe of GOD’s wisdom and how HE has forgiven me and that I do not surprise HIM because HE cannot be caught off guard. HE knew my challenges and victories before HE began to knit me in my mother’s womb. But in my short-comings, I do not sit or lay down and believe that GOD has given up on me or that I am a disappointment to HIM.
We all must believe, rely on, and trust in GOD’s faithfulness to take out of us all sinful words which we speak from our lips out of our hearts. If we only heard what others hear when we speak maybe we would come to realize just how foolish and ignorant we sound.
We should desire to keep our tongues from speaking deceit and evil. Acknowledge Jms. 3:5-12 but surrender to the character and integrity of CHRIST JESUS. JESUS who did or does not use profanity so why must or rather yet, why do we? We can stop if we truly desire to stop. GOD has already forgiven us of every word that we have spoken out of foolishness and ignorance because of sin. Being blood washed in CHRIST JESUS has created us anew, meaning that we are no longer sinners but unfortunately, there is a residue of sin that we must choose to believe and trust JESUS to deliver us from that is so much a part of our former lives we have just come to accept that this is who we are and that is it.
Having that mindset will only dwarf our faith rather than causing our faith to grow and not only that but it is an unspoken acceptance by us that JESUS did not clean us thoroughly and perfectly washing with HIS blood or touch that area of our life. We all have not only similar challenges but different ones as well. Give everything over to the FATHER in CHRIST JESUS knowing that in HIS wisdom HE has chosen to forgive us.
AMFBeM (™)