She spoke words like honey......or maybe not.

All my life I have had problems with my mouth.  In Elementary school I had a teacher tape my mouth closed and in Jr. High they called me "motor mouth".  In High School I put it to good use as a cheerleader (that didn't stop me from saying the wrong thing at the wrong time) and in college well, let's just say I was still known for talking too much and singing to loud.  It has had it's advantages this being such a talker; I was a good salesperson and I can, if I want to... talk to just about anyone. The problem comes into play when I allow myself to relax too much, when I let my guard down and tease or "pop off".  Something just comes rolling off my tongue, short and not so sweet or maybe funny but hurtful. I love people, I really do but sometimes my words don't seem to make that point. They don't honor.  I can bark orders or disagree and it doesn't mean anything to me, it is nothing personal at all.  I am just not being careful.  Not that I say horrible things, but sometimes they don't have to be horrible to wound.  Sometimes it's just the tone or the fact that people expect me to always be "sticky sweet".  I wish I could be "sticky sweet" all the time but then I wouldn't be me.  I laugh loud and talk loud and sometimes I am just plain snarky or sarcastic.  I am not sure if sarcasm is a sin, maybe. Ratz.  I am a work in progress, still working out this destiny of mine.  Still flawed with a challenged "tongue" issue.  On behalf of all women I do remember reading somewhere that the nerves that run from our speech center in the brain to our tongues is actually much shorter than a mans.  We have less time to stop it, before it comes tumbling out than men.  Just saying. 

The Bible has a lot to say about our words and about self-control, here is just a sampling.

Proverbs 16:24 (GW) ²⁴ Pleasant words are {like} honey from a honeycomb— sweet to the spirit and healthy for the body.

Matthew  12:36 

 “But I say to you that every idle word men may speak, they will give account of in the day of judgment.” 

 

 

Galatians 5:22-24 (ASV)

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 meekness, self-control; against such there is no law. 24 And they that are of Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with the passions and the lusts thereof.

 

I suppose I could feel really condemned on this subject but I don't, I refuse.  I know that His grace is sufficient, that where I am weak He is strong.  I know that I am truly still changing and it definitely keeps me humble.  Yipee for that!  I know that my heart is so much softer than it has ever been, that I love people more than I ever have, I love deeper than I ever have and I love God more than I ever have.  I guess that is the best part of being a believer, when you can look and say I am more like Christ today than I ever was before.  Do I blow it sometimes?  Yes.  So if it was to you, I am truly deeply sorry.  You are awesome and loved and it was all completely my fault, please forgive me.  If you were driving that car that almost ran me off the road, I'm sorry that was not a blessing I was speaking to you.... So let me speak one over you now: May you be blessed and safe as you travel and may you know the Lord just in case you get in a crash and die from your reckless stupid driving ....ooops there I go again. 

 

May the God of transformation continue His good work in us all and may we speak words of honey to one another till Jesus comes back!