Month: March 2022

My mom regularly cautioned me to, “Watch what you say.”  Those words came to my mind the other day when I was talking to our financial advisor.  I told him that I was looking for a part-time job.  And I began to tell him all the things that I couldn’t do.  He stopped me and said, “Forget about all that, there are plenty of jobs out there that you can do.  Just decide what you want to do and go for it.  Companies are crying for workers nowadays.” 

I was embarrassed because I usually don’t talk like that, and I didn’t realize that I was being so negative while I was saying it.  The experience kind of woke me up.  Sometimes, we may just spout words without really thinking about what we are saying, but that can get us in the soup.  It is important that we pay attention to the things that we say. 

We all make mistakes and unintentionally say the wrong thing.  Unfortunately, that is going to happen because we are not perfect.  I am particularly guilty of saying things in jest that are not funny.  It’s like sarcasm, but I don’t mean to be sarcastic because that can be perceived as cruel mocking.  I think I’m trying to be humorous by being ironic, but I actually come across as being moronic instead.  I find myself often saying, “I’m sorry.  I was trying to be funny.”  I’m always forgiven, but I always wish I had not said what I did.   

Without thinking, we can occasionally say thoughtless words that can hurt someone; or careless words that can discourage them; or even cruel words that can break their hearts.  I certainly don’t want to be the source of causing any of those things, and I know that you don’t want to be either. 

There was a popular saying a few years back, “Engage brain before opening mouth.”  That is good advice, but we don’t always remember to do it.  So how can we get sharper?

Another old adage is, “garbage in – garbage out.”  The first step in watching our words is to put the proper thoughts in our minds.   If we fill our minds with negative ideas, we will give out negative words.  But if we fill our minds with positives, our words will be positive.  We know that God is light, and His Word is light.  If our minds are full of God’s Word, we will give out light.  And our words will edify, exhort, and comfort people because they are light.  We are always safe speaking God’s words because His words are not only light, but also truth.  However, speaking God’s words does not mean that scripture verses are the only words we ever speak.  It would be pretty hard to get to know someone by just reciting scriptures to them!  It means that the foundation of the words we speak is rooted in our understanding of the scriptures.  Then our words will be positive, and full of light and truth. 

The next step is to slow down.  It is often our words spoken in haste that get us in trouble because we haven’t taken the time to sufficiently engage our brains before speaking.  Maybe we are so anxious to be heard that we just blurt out something.  Or maybe we simply misunderstand the context of the conversation.  In any case, when we jump in hastily without forethought, we can misspeak. 

Another step is to listen, which goes hand in hand with slowing down.  A good listener is genuinely interested in what others are saying.  A good conversationist is usually also a good listener for that reason.  Have you ever been riveted by someone recounting an incident?  You were listening.  But sometimes in conversations our minds wander, or we are anxious for our turn to talk.  That is not being a good listener.     

The last step is to “mean what we say and say what we mean.”  Doing this involves all the previous steps.  In order for us to mean what we say, we cannot speak flippantly or hastily.  And to say what we mean requires thoughtful listening and formulating our responses accordingly.  Both require a sturdy base of positive thoughts in our minds.  Of course, God’s Word is the best source for those positives!  And we should also remember that God helps us in every situation, even with the words we speak. 

I will slip a word of caution in here, though – don’t allow the fear of saying the wrong thing stop you from talking.  The Bible calls the tongue an unruly evil that no man can tame (James 3:8).  So, it is certain that we will say the wrong thing from time to time.  When that happens, we apologize and ask forgiveness if we’ve hurt someone.  Then we move on and try to do better the next time by practicing the steps above.  We also cannot forget that the greatest learning often comes from correcting the mistakes we’ve made. 

Being mindful of what we say is a good habit to develop.  And the simplest way to accomplish that is by filling our minds with so much of God’s wonderful matchless Word that there is no ground left for the negatives of the world to take root (an ongoing endeavor).  And when our minds are full of God’s Word, we can’t help but be full of His love as well.  Then, when His love has filled our hearts and minds, we will act accordingly in what we do, and in what we say.  God is able to direct our steps in our actions and in our words.  We can still be bold while watching what we say!!

Note to my readers:  Happy talking!! Thanks for reading!

The world surely seems crazy right now.  Division, unrest, and fear abound in every corner.  So much conflicting information floods our minds every day, that we may often feel overwhelmed or confused.  I have seen friendships ruined and family relations strained over differences of opinion on things as trivial as which news outlet’s information is correct.  To me that means that people are paying too much homage to those news outlets.  I’m not saying we can’t watch the news; I’m just saying we can’t make it our source for truth.   As the old hymn says, “This world is not my home.”   We can’t afford to get caught up in all the worldly schemes. 

To that end, I wrote a poem.  I think it might bless you, especially if all the worldly falderal is bothering you lately.  It’s called, “Not Inside or Out”.

I looked at the world
And all I could see
Was turmoil and chaos
Surrounding me

Bad news filled my ears 
Day out and day in
It seemed like a battle 
That no one could win

So I retreated inside
To my own little space
Certainly there I could find
Relief from this race

But inside or out 
No peace to be had
Something was missing
That I needed bad

It wasn’t until 
The Bible’s pages I turned
That I found the help
For which I had yearned

For only God’s words
Are the truth in this life
And only God’s love
Can put an end to all strife

If this world is your friend
Disappointment will reign
If you trust in yourself
Your strength will soon wane 

But when in God you trust
And His Word you believe
You’ll have His power 
To surely succeed

So don’t be afraid
Of that worldly view
For God’s Word provides
A loving haven for you

Under God’s wings
You can safely rest 
For God is your Father
And You are His best

The world’s design is to tear us down, which is the total opposite of God’s design.  God wants His children to be victorious in every situation.  God loves His children and knows each hair on their heads.  To the world, we faceless tools to be used.  God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.  The devil, who is running the show these days, is darkness and there is no light in him – not one speck.  God is always on our side, ready and willing to make bare his arm on our behalf.  The battle is not ours, but God’s.  (2 Chronicles 20:15)  So let’s keep the worldly trappings in their proper perspective and triumph over all the ploys of our adversary. 

Ephesians 6:16

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

With God, we are more than conquerors!  But we should not forget that being conquerors means that there was something that needed to be conquered. 

Note to my readers:  God’s Word gives us a sound mind so that we can overcome the craziness!  Thanks for reading!

I have a friend who is a great example of giving.  One time while attending a church event together, on our walk from the car to the meeting, she asked four different people if she could assist them in some way.  Meanwhile, I was thinking things like, “did I remember my pen?” and “I hope I get a good seat.”  It was an eye opening experience for me, for sure.  My friend had developed an attitude of giving that permeated her actions.  I want to be like that.  But how do we develop a strong attitude of giving?

The first step in doing that is having our needs met. We cannot give anything if we have nothing to give.  God promises to meet our needs in Philippians 4:19.  And when our needs are met, we are free to give.  When we trust that God is the source of our supply, we can be unincumbered in our giving.  Like I’ve heard it said, “You can’t out-give God.”  God supplies our needs not only to bless us, but also to enable us to give! 

To be clear, there may be times when our needs are great, and it is necessary for us to focus on ourselves.  There is nothing wrong with that.  It is not selfish to take care of ourselves when we need to, and it doesn’t change our attitude of giving. In fact at these times, we may find it difficult to accept help from others because we still want to be the givers.  But just as we must be meek to receive from God, we also must be meek and allow others to give and get blessed.

The next step in developing an attitude of giving is to recognize what we have to give.  Of course, the greatest thing that we can give is God’s Word.  For God’s Word provides people with all the information that they need to be saved and made whole.  And being saved opens the doors to all the resources of a loving Heavenly Father.  However, there are many other important things that we can give as well.  Things like – our kindness, our wisdom, our time, our energy, our hospitality, our pluralities.  Sometimes, we may limit our thinking by the idea that giving is just giving presents.  While giving presents is a wonderful thing, the attitude of giving is so much more.  It is putting others before ourselves, (which isn’t hard to do when we know that our needs are met).  And it’s being willing to give even if it’s not convenient at the time.  It could be offering a shoulder to cry on.  It could be lending a helping hand.  It could be speaking comforting words.  It could be as simple as a smile or touch on the arm.  But no matter what we give, the greatest way to give is with love. 

Love tenderizes, love energizes, love is the basis of all true giving.  God set the example in John 3:16, where it says God so loved – that He gave…  God gave His only begotten son because He loved.  And it was the greatest act of giving that the world has ever seen because it was the greatest demonstration of love ever exhibited.

Have you ever been blown-away by someone’s thoughtfulness?  That’s a sure sign that love was involved.  Recently, some friends got together and gave me a precious gift.  It was definitely an act of love.  And you know what the best part is?  They got blessed as much as I did.  That is by Godly design.  There is joy in giving.

God set up the law of giving and receiving. When we give, we receive.  It’s just that simple.  It works for saint and sinner alike.  Have you ever known someone who spews negatives all the time?  They generally receive the same.  But when we give out of love, it allows God to open the floodgates of His blessings upon us.  We are never poorer for giving.  Yet, we don’t give to receive, we give because it pleases God.  With Him, the return on our ‘investment’ is unequaled because He loves us that much!

The last step in developing an attitude of giving is – start giving.  Look around, the world today is an unhappy place.  But we can begin to change that by giving freely from our love-filled hearts, all the remarkable things that God has given to us.  Love changes things and love is giving.

Note to my readers:  Let’s give to our heart’s content and see what God will do!  Thanks for reading! 

I had a Bible teacher who told us that it is important that we always remain coachable.  I’ve endeavored to be so, but never really thought of what that meant.

Merriam Webster says that the verb ‘coach’ means:  “to train intensively (as by instruction and demonstration)”.  So logically, to be coachable means that we must be willing to receive that kind of training.

We often think of coaching in the context of sports.  All sports teams have coaches.  From the professionals down to the peewee teams, coaching is a vital part of the competition.  Even if you are not a sports fan, you probably know of some famous coaches like John Madden, Vince Lombardi, and Woody Hayes (for you OSU fans) to name a few. 

Good coaches are able to successfully motivate their players to perform their best by pushing them beyond their comfort levels during training while reassuring them that they can do it.  Good coaches know how to balance the pressure and the reward. They operate good principles.  They are able to maintain order and momentum without stifling potential.  Good coaches are respected and generally appreciated. 

In sports this process is very recognizable, but what about in other fields?  For example:

Good teachers are like coaches.  They do more than merely convey information.  They train their students by making sure that the information is understood, and by welcoming open and honest debate.  Good teachers instruct their students on how to apply knowledge and think for themselves.  They demonstrate by example and build enthusiasm for learning in their students.  Good teachers are often remembered as role models.

Good bosses can also be like coaches.  Good bosses realize that contented employees are more likely to be loyal and produce quality work.  They know that their employees are valuable assets, so they motivate them without alienating them.  Good bosses promote teamwork without being taskmasters.  They respect their employees, and their employees respect them.

Good parents are always coaching.   Their lives are spent in communicating information, refuting misinformation, encouraging good behavior, reproving bad behavior, and correcting error.  They are patient and consistent.  Good parents train their children to be the best that they can be in whatever they do.  They love their children and celebrate with them in their successes. 

Those are just a few examples of people who coach us.  There is profit in listening to good coaching because we all need training in this life.  We need instruction because we don’t know everything (even if we think we do!).  We need encouragement, especially in the tough times.  We need guidance if we’re heading down the wrong path.  And we need to experience the satisfaction of success so that we can keep going day after day.

To be coachable means that we are willing to listen, willing to accept instruction (even if it’s not what we want to hear), and willing to change if needed.  Being coachable involves meekness, cooperation, being honest with ourselves, and having open lines of communication.  Being coachable is NOT being a wimp or a dishrag.  (Try calling an NFL player a wimp sometime!).  And it does not mean that we do everything that we are told without question.  We are still responsible for our own integrity.  We are coachable when we are not arrogant or self-absorbed.

The greatest coach ever is God.  He coaches us through His Word.  Think of all the scriptures that you know – do they not impart truth?  Do they not show you the right way to go?  Do they not correct you when you’ve gone astray and encourage you to get back on track?  When you believe them, do they not enable you with success?  Of course, they do all of these things and more!

The Bible is full of instruction for every facet of life, and it is the right instruction!  There is motivation in the Bible, the kind that brings us to a positive outcome.  There is also exhortation, edification, and comfort, the things that are necessary to encourage us.  And there are promises that provide us with an abundant life.  God’s Word is full of wisdom so we can not only know the score, but we can also know what to do about it. 

Hebrews 4:12

For the word of God is quick (alive), and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

This is a description the Word that coaches us.  We must receive this Word with meekness, hold on to It with conviction and release It with boldness.  It contains all that we need to know about life and godliness.  It declares God’s Will for our lives.  And, It reveals the opponent’s game plan.  (What team wouldn’t like to have that information!)

In sports, a coach’s success is measured by the number of victories his team achieves.  God’s team’s victories are innumerable!  And not only innumerable, but also miraculous.  And not only miraculous, but also eternal!  God’s record of success is beyond compare! 

Being coachable allows us to receive all the wonderful things that God has in store for us.  It allows God to encourage us to a more worthy endeavor.  And it allows Him to direct our steps toward the ultimate victory – heaven – with steppingstones of success all along the way!

A big key to being coachable is having meekness, and meekness implies humbleness.  When we are humble, we are not ashamed to admit that we need help.  We are not afraid to ask God for His aid. And when we receive His answers, we are strengthened so that we can help others also.  Like so many things of God, it is a wonderful cycle! 

Note to my readers:  Stay coachable.  And don’t forget that meekness is a fruit of the spirit –  (Just sayin’). Thanks for reading!