The words of the wicked are a deadly ambush,
but the speech of the upright saves them.
Gossip is a deadly ambush. As a victim of gossip, it comes out of nowhere and attacks our inner-most being. The people we thought we could trust either shared gossip about us or didn’t stand up to it and correct the lie or defend us. The worse use of gossip is the tabloid magazines that photo-shop pictures of celebrities and use slivers of truth to create entire worlds of lies. And even in there is truth to the story, why do people feel the need to publicize it? What good can come of that?
When we use the weapon of gossip, when we become the enemy of truth and righteousness – Lord have mercy on us. This is why it’s important to love your enemy – it’s nearly impossible to shoot those you love with gossip. Love becomes a protective shield, like body armor, for both the gossiper and the victim.
What does upright speech sound like? Peaceful. Prayerful. Patient. Sometimes I think the speech of the upright is silences – a quiet persona that listens to others and prayerfully considers how to respond. The verse takes the speech of the upright a step further. It saves them. Not only does it protect us, but it saves us.
There are many more Proverbs to further illustrate the power of speech. These are just the few that were on the same page as Proverbs 12:6.
12:13 In the sin of his lips the evil man is ensnared,
but the just comes free of trouble.
12:17 He tells the truth who states what he is sure of,
but a lying witness speaks deceitfully.
12:18 The prating of some men (and women) is like sword thrusts,
but the tongue of the wise is healing.
12:25 Anxiety in a man’s heart depresses it,
but a kindly word makes it glad.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Proverbs 10:5
A son who fills the granaries in summer is a credit;
a son who slumbers during harvest, a disgrace.
Thinking about this verse, I’m sad to know that many sons and daughters of today will never have the opportunity to help with a harvest. They will not understand Spring in its fullness as the new beginning, when the soil sends out its earthly fragrance and beckons to the farmer to till her, plant the seeds and tend to the rows of sprouts.
There is a lesson in patience while the food ripens, an appreciation for weather and the quality of dirt – and even a grateful smile when the fat earthworms surface from their underground ventures. Farming and gardening create a connection to nature and to God. In this culture, many are not taking that advantage, relying solely on harvesting their food from the pyramids of produce at the grocery store, or simply opening a box and adding water.
Our current culture doesn’t match the literary meaning of Proverbs 10:5, but the intent has not been lost. Our harvest is us. We must grow our lives, our souls, to be fruitful. The fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control.
We have moments every day to harvest these fruits within us and share them with others. These are the harvest tools necessary to reap the goodness God offers. We must tend to our souls, encourage other souls to grow deeper roots in the faith and strengthen our stems to stand sturdy in the storms of our culture.
This is the time of our growing. Each of us will be harvested. Judged. I pray with all my heart that I have the courage to fill the ‘granary’ with my love for God, that my fruit be the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
a son who slumbers during harvest, a disgrace.
Thinking about this verse, I’m sad to know that many sons and daughters of today will never have the opportunity to help with a harvest. They will not understand Spring in its fullness as the new beginning, when the soil sends out its earthly fragrance and beckons to the farmer to till her, plant the seeds and tend to the rows of sprouts.
There is a lesson in patience while the food ripens, an appreciation for weather and the quality of dirt – and even a grateful smile when the fat earthworms surface from their underground ventures. Farming and gardening create a connection to nature and to God. In this culture, many are not taking that advantage, relying solely on harvesting their food from the pyramids of produce at the grocery store, or simply opening a box and adding water.
Our current culture doesn’t match the literary meaning of Proverbs 10:5, but the intent has not been lost. Our harvest is us. We must grow our lives, our souls, to be fruitful. The fruits of the Holy Spirit?
Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-Control.
We have moments every day to harvest these fruits within us and share them with others. These are the harvest tools necessary to reap the goodness God offers. We must tend to our souls, encourage other souls to grow deeper roots in the faith and strengthen our stems to stand sturdy in the storms of our culture.
This is the time of our growing. Each of us will be harvested. Judged. I pray with all my heart that I have the courage to fill the ‘granary’ with my love for God, that my fruit be the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A New Kind of Blessing
I had one of those moments today...you know, when your entire life seems to come to a head right in front of your face and all the good things seem to present themself in a way you never expected.
The funny thing is, it was a small thing. Not a word was spoken.
It was early in the morning and I was on the couch with a cup of coffee and the Bible, reading Psalms (which blesses me greatly!) Every ten minutes or so, one of my daughters emerged from their bedroom, saw me on the couch, grabbed thier Bible and joined me. Soon, we were nothing but a cozy pile of bodies, blankets, and Bibles - and God was there. I could feel His warmth and I shared His smile.
It occured to me, that as a homeschooling family, we had opportunities like this often. Because the girls are almost always with me, we can take advantage of the couch times, the lunch conversations, the times when they would normally be at school with someone else. The girls are calm and secure in themselves. I feel a sense of peace each morning when these "Bible Bundles" crowd the couch and fill my heart. Homeschooling is blessing this family of mine in ways I never expected.
I used to worry about the academics, worry that if I didn't stay focused on a schedule, didn't have the right curriculum, that I would fail my children as their mother and teacher. Now, I'm slowing coming to understand that they greatest thing I can do for them is to just spend time with them in God's Word. After that? What matters? And as a good friend pointed out - the Bible has it all...geography, history, math (all those extreme ages in the Old Testament!), spelling...the list goes on.
And today, as we begin to venture into a new experience, I wonder how God will bless us?
The funny thing is, it was a small thing. Not a word was spoken.
It was early in the morning and I was on the couch with a cup of coffee and the Bible, reading Psalms (which blesses me greatly!) Every ten minutes or so, one of my daughters emerged from their bedroom, saw me on the couch, grabbed thier Bible and joined me. Soon, we were nothing but a cozy pile of bodies, blankets, and Bibles - and God was there. I could feel His warmth and I shared His smile.
It occured to me, that as a homeschooling family, we had opportunities like this often. Because the girls are almost always with me, we can take advantage of the couch times, the lunch conversations, the times when they would normally be at school with someone else. The girls are calm and secure in themselves. I feel a sense of peace each morning when these "Bible Bundles" crowd the couch and fill my heart. Homeschooling is blessing this family of mine in ways I never expected.
I used to worry about the academics, worry that if I didn't stay focused on a schedule, didn't have the right curriculum, that I would fail my children as their mother and teacher. Now, I'm slowing coming to understand that they greatest thing I can do for them is to just spend time with them in God's Word. After that? What matters? And as a good friend pointed out - the Bible has it all...geography, history, math (all those extreme ages in the Old Testament!), spelling...the list goes on.
And today, as we begin to venture into a new experience, I wonder how God will bless us?
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Spiritual Warfare
I've experienced a great deal of Spiritual Warfare recently. It seems that the closer we come to God, the more frantic the King of Evil tries to keep us from the Holy Spirit.
Friends are sick. Children are in the hospital. The demands of my schedule are relentless. Discouragement lurks behind every door. It's depressing and I'm sick of it!
So listen here, Satan! Take your band of evils, your Legion of demons and get out of my face. I have devoted my life to God. You had your claws in me years ago and it brought nothing but pain and despair. I've had enough. There is nothing you can offer me that I want - nothing! God is good all the time. He is faithful. He loves mankind, He loves me and He loves the person who is reading this right now! You will lose this battle. Give up now, because I will not!
I know I don't stand alone in this, but at times it certainly feels that way. But I'm going to stay true in my intentions to life my life according to God's will. I put all my faith and hope in Him. Come what may on this earth - it's Heaven I'm living for!
Friends are sick. Children are in the hospital. The demands of my schedule are relentless. Discouragement lurks behind every door. It's depressing and I'm sick of it!
So listen here, Satan! Take your band of evils, your Legion of demons and get out of my face. I have devoted my life to God. You had your claws in me years ago and it brought nothing but pain and despair. I've had enough. There is nothing you can offer me that I want - nothing! God is good all the time. He is faithful. He loves mankind, He loves me and He loves the person who is reading this right now! You will lose this battle. Give up now, because I will not!
I know I don't stand alone in this, but at times it certainly feels that way. But I'm going to stay true in my intentions to life my life according to God's will. I put all my faith and hope in Him. Come what may on this earth - it's Heaven I'm living for!
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Lent Begins!
Is it appropriate to say “Happy Ash Wednesday”? It doesn’t sound right, but I’m going to say that to you regardless. The Lent Season is upon us; this annual season of preparing for the Resurrection of the Lord, the event that defeated Death.
Lent is a time to renew our Baptismal commitment. With our baptism, original sin was washed away, but we being humans, continue to need cleansing from our sins. Original Sin may have been washed away, but we still have the seven deadly sins: Pride, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Anger, Greed, Sloth.
Our sins are the actions and thoughts that keep us separate from God. The Ashes of today are symbolic of that. In the book of Esther, when Mordecai learned that all Jews were to be annihilated, he turned to God by shredding his clothes, putting on sack cloth and ashes. The Jews turned fervently toward God with fasting, weeping and lament.
The ashes we wear today are symbolic of repentance and of our morality. They are an opportunity to spread the good news to our friends and neighbors, because you know that someone will tell you that there is a smudge on your forehead!
What can you tell them?
• I am preparing for Lent. It’s a time of repentance and new life. How are you preparing for Easter?
• Today is the first day of Lent; a time when the Catholic faithful spend 40 days renewing their faith in preparation for Easter.
• Yes, I have a smudge. Only Pagans can see it! (just kidding )
Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting. In this tradition, we should slow our lives down to fully immerse ourselves in the scripture of the day, the prayerfulness of the season, and the preparations for a 40 day walk through Lent. With jobs and families to attend to, these moments of reflection may last only a few moments, but it’s important to take those moments regardless of the time we have. I know I will not starve if I only eat three small meals today. It’s the discipline of denying myself that which is readily available, giving something up so I may understand hunger. Instead of food, today I will feed myself on the Word of God. And perhaps tomorrow, I will hunger for it as strongly as I crave a sandwich. How different will I be at the end of 40 days if my main meal is the Word of God?
My prayer for all of us on the Ash Wednesday…
Lord,
We have burned the palms from last year’s Palm Sunday, the day we welcomed you into our cities as King. In burning the palms, we recognize our failures in the past years; all our good intentions that failed, our broken promises, the truth of our imperfections have been reduced to ash. We wear the cross of your salvation on our foreheads to mark in thanksgiving the ultimate sacrifice of your life. Through your death, you raised the souls from hell to eternal light. Through these ashes, we prepare our Lenten experience to be a sacrifice of worldly things so we can fully understand and accept the heavenly graces you have given us. Lord, we offer you our sacrifices as a means to know you more, to serve your will, to share your good news. We anxiously await your resurrection, the new life of the Kingdom of Heaven. Lord Jesus, be with us during our 40 day walk through the desert. Give us strength to abandon our earthly vices, and fill our hearts and minds with your love.
We pray all this through your name, Jesus Christ.
Lent is a time to renew our Baptismal commitment. With our baptism, original sin was washed away, but we being humans, continue to need cleansing from our sins. Original Sin may have been washed away, but we still have the seven deadly sins: Pride, Envy, Lust, Gluttony, Anger, Greed, Sloth.
Our sins are the actions and thoughts that keep us separate from God. The Ashes of today are symbolic of that. In the book of Esther, when Mordecai learned that all Jews were to be annihilated, he turned to God by shredding his clothes, putting on sack cloth and ashes. The Jews turned fervently toward God with fasting, weeping and lament.
The ashes we wear today are symbolic of repentance and of our morality. They are an opportunity to spread the good news to our friends and neighbors, because you know that someone will tell you that there is a smudge on your forehead!
What can you tell them?
• I am preparing for Lent. It’s a time of repentance and new life. How are you preparing for Easter?
• Today is the first day of Lent; a time when the Catholic faithful spend 40 days renewing their faith in preparation for Easter.
• Yes, I have a smudge. Only Pagans can see it! (just kidding )
Ash Wednesday is also a day of fasting. In this tradition, we should slow our lives down to fully immerse ourselves in the scripture of the day, the prayerfulness of the season, and the preparations for a 40 day walk through Lent. With jobs and families to attend to, these moments of reflection may last only a few moments, but it’s important to take those moments regardless of the time we have. I know I will not starve if I only eat three small meals today. It’s the discipline of denying myself that which is readily available, giving something up so I may understand hunger. Instead of food, today I will feed myself on the Word of God. And perhaps tomorrow, I will hunger for it as strongly as I crave a sandwich. How different will I be at the end of 40 days if my main meal is the Word of God?
My prayer for all of us on the Ash Wednesday…
Lord,
We have burned the palms from last year’s Palm Sunday, the day we welcomed you into our cities as King. In burning the palms, we recognize our failures in the past years; all our good intentions that failed, our broken promises, the truth of our imperfections have been reduced to ash. We wear the cross of your salvation on our foreheads to mark in thanksgiving the ultimate sacrifice of your life. Through your death, you raised the souls from hell to eternal light. Through these ashes, we prepare our Lenten experience to be a sacrifice of worldly things so we can fully understand and accept the heavenly graces you have given us. Lord, we offer you our sacrifices as a means to know you more, to serve your will, to share your good news. We anxiously await your resurrection, the new life of the Kingdom of Heaven. Lord Jesus, be with us during our 40 day walk through the desert. Give us strength to abandon our earthly vices, and fill our hearts and minds with your love.
We pray all this through your name, Jesus Christ.
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