| The heart of the righteous weighs its answers. — Proverbs 15:28  Laced with Grace by Karen Ehman, from Keep It Shut 
 Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. — Proverbs 16:24
I am such a Bible nerd. Not only do I love to learn the meaning behind the Hebrew or Greek words in Scripture, but I like to study certain English words that pop up at me, pogo-stick style, to find out why a particular word or phrase is used. And so I grew curious one day. Why does God use a honeycomb to describe gracious, sweet, and healing speech? I didn't have to look far for my answer.
Jake is a teenage boy who lives in our neighborhood. He's an outstanding football player and a wrestler. He's also a bee-keeper who sells his amber jars of honey at local festivals and fairs. I decided to interview this high school entrepreneur one afternoon to discover all I could about the honey-making biz.
Jake told me the flavor and intensity of honey depends on what kind of nectar the bees drink in. Clover nectar produces honey that is light and heavenly sweet. Another flower's nectar might create a dark, bitter product, with a lingering, unpleasant aftertaste. Smart beekeepers ensure that a beehive is strategically placed near a large patch of clover if they want to sell the sweetest, most delectable honey.
Jake also told me how crucial it is that the beehive be placed where the sun will hit it first thing in the morning, warming up the bees and causing them to get to work churning out the greatest quantity of sweet syrup possible. "So," I questioned my young friend, "is it safe to say the sweetness or bitterness of honey is determined by what the bee drinks in and the amount of time it spends in the sun — especially early in the morning?"
"Exactly!" he replied.
DING! DING! DING! We have a winner. I think I found my answer.
Perhaps it is also true that the sweetness or bitterness of our words will be determined by what we drink in and the amount of time we spend early with the Son.
But choosing grace will sometimes cost us. Spats and squabbles are oh-so-easy to fall into. We will have to resist the urge to lash out in anger. We might even have to bite down on our tongues.
But better a bleeding tongue than a family member's wounded heart.
We might have to choose to let go of the need to prove our point, choosing instead to do the right thing: to impart grace and deal with the other person in love and with utmost patience.
We can choose to speak honestly with words that are direct, but that are also strategically tucked inside an envelope of grace.
When we choose to do this — even though it can be extremely difficult — we model to those closest to us a picture of Christ loving his church. Fights are abandoned.
Tempers cool off. Stress simmers down. Our gracious words wash over the other person with love and compassion. We find ourselves faithful to God.
When we lace our speech with grace, healing happens.
So when a family member's behavior threatens to knock the nice right out of us, we can pause before we pounce. (Or better yet, pause, pray, and then don't pounce at all!) Take the advice I sometimes have to give myself: don't say something permanently painful just because you are temporarily ticked off.
All the humans you encounter throughout the course of the day are "on purpose" people. God plopped them into your life for a reason. These souls — whether they are of the easy-to-love variety or the scratchy sandpaper kind — can be used by God to mold, reshape, and sometimes stretch our souls as he perpetually crafts us into creations becoming more and more like his Son.
Our people are watching, sizing up how we behave. What will they see? Stirred-up strife — or lovingly covered offenses? Words that incite spats and squabbles? Or speech that soothes and heals?
You choose.
Pssst . . . The correct answer is "g."
Grace.
Today's Takeaways
Lesson for the Lips
How are you doing in the areas of being careful what you drink in and spending time early with the Son? Do you see a correlation between how much time you spend each day drinking in God's Word and how you use your words? Jot a few sentences here that describe your walk with God in this area currently.
Do you have any goals when it comes to spending focused time alone each day with Jesus? What's working? What needs changing? Is it a matter of putting it on your schedule? Of having a friend hold you accountable? Write a few declarative sentences stating what your goals are for spending unrushed time with God each day.
Prayer
Father, thank You for the lessons from the honeycomb. Help me to intentionally carve out time alone each day to meet with You. I want my speech to be sweet and soothing, drawing others to Your life-giving gospel. In Jesus's name, amen. Excerpted with permission from Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman, copyright Karen Ehman.
Your Turn
Are you in the middle of a family squabble, a spat with a friend, or in a challenge with a not-nice acquaintance? What aspect of Joseph's example, and Christ's example speaks to your situation? Come share with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! Share this devotion with someone who needs it today. What to Say, How to Say It, and When to Say Nothing at All
Get this $5.99 deal
Keep It Shut by Karen Ehman
Learn the essential practice of using our words more effectively— alleviating heartache and regret, reducing relational tension and conflict, lessening our stress levels, and growing our relationship with God.  Paperback, Regular: $17.99 eBook price: $9.99 + free U.S. shipping* on orders $30 or more From Bible times to modern times women have struggled with their words. What to say and how to say it. What not to say. When it is best to remain silent. And what to do when you've said something you wish you could now take back. In this book a woman whose mouth has gotten her into loads of trouble shares the hows (and how-not-tos) of dealing with the tongue.
Beyond just a "how not to gossip" book, this book explores what the Bible says about the many ways we are to use our words and the times when we are to remain silent.
Karen will cover using our speech to interact with friends, co-workers, family, and strangers as well as in the many places we use our words in private, in public, online, and in prayer. Even the words we say silently to ourselves. She will address unsolicited opinion-slinging, speaking the truth in love, not saying words just to people-please, and dealing with our verbal anger.
Christian women struggle with their mouths. Even though we know that Scripture has much to say about how we are--and are not--to use our words, this is still an immense issue, causing heartache and strain not only in family relationships, but also in friendships, work, and church settings.
Also available: Keep It Shut small group video study and study guide.
What People Are Saying  "This book is witty, wonderful and full of wisdom from God's Word! Her writing style makes you feel as though she's a dear and trusted friend. She is vulnerable in sharing her own experiences which made me reflect on my own failures and mistakes regarding my tongue! Thank you, Karen, for this important book!" — Rebecca, reader
"This book is very well-written and gets to the heart of the matter about when it is best to leave things unsaid." — Terri, reader
"The truth may sting a bit but God uses his Word to convict us, not to condemn us. He won't stop loving us because of something we said....but someone else might." — Sandra, reader
*Sale prices valid through 04/30/2021, ending at 11:59pm EST, excluding eBooks and audiobooks. eBooks and audiobooks purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. Free U.S. shipping on orders over $30 valid, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
|
Copyright © 2021 HarperCollins Christian Publishing. All Rights Reserved.
501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214, USA
Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions
*Manage Your Email Preferences or *Unsubscribe
Posts
.jpg?x-oss-process=image/auto-orient,1/quality,q_70/resize,m_mfit,w_350,h_350/format,webp)
No comments:
Post a Comment