WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

WHAT WE TALK ABOUT

READ:
Psalm 19

Let the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable in Your sight.
O LORD.  -Psalm 19:14

Perhaps you are familiar with the saying, "Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people."  Admittedly, there are ways to speak of people that can honor them.  But this saying highlights our darker experiences.  In a world of ever-present media-social and professional-we are continually confronted with people's lives at a level of intimacy that can be inappropriate.

Worse, this tidal wave of personal information about others could become grist for our conversational mills to the point that gossip becomes the norm-and not just about the rich and famous.  People in our work-places, churches, neighborhoods, and families can also be targets of sharp tongues and feel the pain of discussions that never should have happened.

How can we escape our inclination to use words to hurt others?  By recognizing that the ultimate Hearer of our words is God, who longs for us to be better than that.  With the psalmist, we can pray, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD" (Psalm 19:14).  When we seek to please God with our conversations about others, we honor Him.  With His help, we can glorify Him through what we talk about. -Bill Crowder

Forgive me, Father, for the times my speech
crosses the line of that which is appropriate.
Help me to understand the power of words,
and give me the wisdom to use them well.
************************************
It is better to bite your tongue
than to make a biting remark.

INSIGHT
The size of the known universe is mind-boggling.  In his book Miracles, C.S. Lewis commented that its vastness is an obvious indicator of an infinitely powerful Creator.  What a wonder that this Creator became a man to redeem fallen humans! (John 1:1-12).

Have a blessed evening.
God Our Creator's Love Always
Unity & Peace