While blog reading today, I visited two sites that really touched me. Both acted as cautions as to the use of words - our words! Visit their sites firsthand, Jana and Carissa. Thanks to both of you for your honest, thought-provoking writings.
Unfortunately, there's way too much ugliness in our world - way too much - and we, as God's people, must be careful not to add to it. We need to guard our lips from bringing forth hurtful, hateful words. Remember our words set the climate for our self-worth - and we are not worth much if we let our lips speak unkindnesses and falsehoods (i.e., the nice word for lies). My poem sums up my feelings today, although I wrote it years ago (in 1993) when my family was the target of a verbal attack after our oldest son died. To tell you the truth, the persons might as well lined us up and stoned us to death because the untruths in their words brought great hurt and pain.
Gather not stones
For stones of hate cannot love
Defeat cannot savor victory
Despair cannot possess joy
Disobedience cannot breed respect
Evil cannot comprehend virtue.
Gather not stones
For your compassion will conquer all
Your accomplishments will reverse failure
Your happiness will heal pain
Your wisdom will subdue folly
Your goodness will merit excellence.
For stones of hate cannot love
Defeat cannot savor victory
Despair cannot possess joy
Disobedience cannot breed respect
Evil cannot comprehend virtue.
Gather not stones
For your compassion will conquer all
Your accomplishments will reverse failure
Your happiness will heal pain
Your wisdom will subdue folly
Your goodness will merit excellence.
PS: Please forgive me if you find my words offensive. That wasn't intended. It is just so important that we are careful, too many have been wounded (some fatally) by an unbridled tongue. My prayer is: Dear Lord, thank you for awakening in me the desire to let my words speak of You and your holiness - and reminding me to speak only goodness regarding your people.
6 comments:
This poem is great! My favorite lines "Disobedience cannot breed respect. Evil cannot comprehend virtue" WOW. good stuff!
Very thought provoking post Sis. Hopper...puts a whole new light on " be careful little mouth what you say"...and, "be careful little mind what you think" since sometimes too many fall prey to presumtiousness-or they simply assume they "know" what the truth is when indeed they do not.
I thank God everyday for His keeping and saving power and grace, that bitterness may not take root in my heart. I'm thankful He's doing the same for you. I love you and your blog!!! (thanks for the nice post on mine)
I don't find this post to be offensive but rather feel bad for the pain you felt at the mouths of vicious people. You are right that "evil cannot comprehend virtue." This is a great post.
Carissa,
Thank you for your comment - and for dropping by to visit.
Kari,
You, being a pastor's wife, know all too well what a loose tongue can do. God help us that we guard our words, as the ministry should be concerned with soul winning and not policing mouths.
Jana,
I thank God that our family never was bitter but took the offenses to the Lord. Surprising to this day I can still hug their necks and genuinely love them. God is Good.
I'm not sure what it was that Jesus wrote in the sand the day they brought the woman caught in adultry before Him. All I know is when he was finished they decided that throwing rocks was NOT a good idea,and it still isn't. The only one worthy of rock throwing is Christ and He only forgives, He does not throw rocks, so who are we??
Wonderful post Sis Hopper, not the lease bit offensive. I love to read your writings.
Caroline,
He is our example, and thank you for your comment on Him writing in the sand. Good words.
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