Watch Your Words

Proverbs 16:24 "Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones."

I was told a funny story of a brand new state of the art music center at a major city here in the States.  Apparently this fancy opera house had an orchestra pit that could be raised and lowered by powerful lifts.  These lifts worked on a wireless system and would go into affect with the push of a button.  I don't know all the technical details, but the fact that this system somehow works using sound waves, caused a bit of a problem on opening night.  At some point in the evenings performance a woman with a beautiful and powerful operatic voice, hit a certain note or pitch, that caused the lifts for the orchestra pit to spring into action.   The orchestra was lifted into plain view, but not long after, the singer hit the same note and the orchestra slowly vanished.  This happened a number of times during her singing, and soon the serious song became a comedy act.  Laughter and applause followed every disappearance and reappearance of the orchestra.  What a great picture, this woman with the power of her voice was able to lift up, and to bring down.  The Bible teaches us, and warns us, that our voices have that very same power.  The words we use can encourage or discourage, can bring joy, or dejection, can carry up, or carry down.  Keep the picture of the orchestra pit in your mind as you speak.  When speaking of someone, or to someone, are your words lifting up, or bringing down?

Name That Tune

Psalm 84:5-6 "Blessed is the man whose strength is in You, whose heart is set on pilgrimage.  As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it spring; the rain also covers it with pools."

Working retail management can a be grind, so I remember being very happy I hired a particular employee who was hilarious.  This guy always kept me entertained, and his antics usually helped store morale.  One game he would play was to hum or whistle a tune that he felt represented certain people walking around the store.  He was good at it too, his song always seemed to match whoever might be wandering the aisles.  Through the day the tunes would come out of nowhere, "Bad to the Bone", "Viva Las Vegas", "Mellow Yellow", and sure enough I'd look up and passing right in front of me would be someone matching that song.  I don't remember him ever being mean about it, and it always brought his desired end, a shake of the head and a smile on my face.  His little game did teach me something that I carry with me to this day.  Wherever I go or whatever I do, I carry with me a song, or attitude, or vibe.  The question for me is what sort of vibe am I giving off?  As a Christian I carry my Lord with me, so wherever I am, ought to be blessed with His holy song or attitude.  The above verses from Psalm 84 speak of this.  The blessed of the Lord are passing through the Valley of Baca, and make it spring to life.  The Valley of Baca is literally the Valley of Weeping.  How amazing, a place of tears and lamenting becomes a place springing with life, because the blessed of the Lord are passing through.  The psalmist often speaks of the Lord giving him a new song.  This is a song of our loving God, a song that is holy, and right, and joyous, a heavenly song.  As we pass through the work place, or sit in the food court, or wander the valley, may it be that whomever we pass will be moved to hum or whistle a new song, as they recognize our Lord's life in us.

Hate Sin

Romans 12:9 "Let love be without hypocrisy.  Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good."

I have never been one to think much about germs, I know they are around me and can make me sick, but unlike some, I've never really made a big deal about them.  I lived very happily in my insensibility toward germs, until our current cold and flu season hit.  This year it seems like we are being bombarded with too much germ information.  On television, on the radio, in articles, and even on billboards we are being warned on how not to catch, or spread these bugs.  I have to be honest for the first time, germs are starting to creep me out.  I think we are supposed to wash our hands a hundred times a day.  To make sure you wash long enough, sing happy birthday or the alphabet song all the way through while washing.  To keep from spreading germs, we have been taught how to sneeze, and how to properly dispose of tissues.  The list of things we shouldn't touch is endless.  Don't touch: door knobs, stair rails, counter tops, other people's pens, kitchen sponges, elevator buttons, cell phones, key pads, gas pumps, and never ever touch your own nose or eyes.  I'm pretty sure it's alright to breathe in most places, except it might be best to hold your breath in elevators, airplanes, and public restrooms.  As I'm writing this I'm fighting a cold, so I'm kicking myself for going out in public and breathing and touching things.  There is a dangerous germ out there that gets too little attention, in fact I have never seen a public service announcement warning us how to avoid it.  This bug spreads quickly and is devastating to all who are infected by it.  You are all sharp enough to know where I'm going with this.  That foul germ is SIN.  Sadly we can feel more creepy about all the microorganisms that encompass us, then about the sin bug that abounds.  God hates sin, and calls us to abhor it.  Let us therefore be vigilant in cleansing,  be wise in what we touch, and careful what we breathe in.