Garbage Cans                                                                                 11-22-13

Proverbs 18:21 (KJV) ²¹  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.

I can remember exactly where I was when President Kennedy was shot 50 years ago today. I was sitting in Mr. Morris' 8th grade English class. I will never forget it. Fifty years ago! Just another reminder of how quickly this life passes. Well, this message may get out today and it may not. I have been teaching myself to type and this is the first time that I am trying to do it all by the book. So, look for the message either today or tomorrow!lol

I had the truth of the above verse played out in front of my eyes yesterday. I have heard many sermons on the above verse. Most of them have the speaker in view as their subject; but, I want to talk today with the listener in mind. Someone once said(I can't remember who) this," My ears ain't no garbage cans." The wisdom of that statement became painfully evident to me yesterday. Allow me to elaborate.

My mother, who is ?4 years old. She would kill me if I actually revealed how young she is. (smile.)
She is somewhat frail, but manages to putter around reasonably well. Yesterday she was having a good day,busying herself with various tasks that she wanted to do. She had recently missed a phone call from a long time friend and decided that she would return that call yesterday. I was sitting at the kitchen table within earshot of Memaw when she called. It began like any other call,"hey, how you doin?" and all that; but, then something changed and Memaw became silent. After a few seconds of silence my ears perked up to hear anything. I heard her say" oh that's too bad" then after some back and forth I heard "let's talk about something else." Well, this back and forth went on and I overheard "this is depressing me, it is reminding me of what all is wrong with me, let's talk about something positive." This banter went on for about ten minutes back and forth and then I heard my mother say "I've got to go, I'm feeling funny." She wasn't kidding. I didn't think too much about it believing that she had had enough and was trying to politely say good-bye. No big deal until she called for me a couple of minutes later. I went to see what was up and saw her trying to balance herself. I asked her what was the matter and she said the room was spinning. As I went to her side she started gagging; needless to say, I became concerned. For the next few minutes it was very hectic, trying to figure out why the sudden onset of illness and what was the matter. So much so that I called my sister to come over and have a look.

O.K. The rest of the story. When mother finally calmed down, before falling asleep for the rest of the day and night she told me that the phone call had made her sick. She said that ------ had made her very nervous talking about how bad things were. It had upset her so bad that she had gotten violently ill. I asked her again today if she felt better and what had happened. She repeated that the phone call had made her sick. Words had upset her so bad that she made herself sick.

I thought of the above verse and that comment about not turning our ears into garbage cans. You see if we aren't careful, all the negative that surrounds us will affect us the hearers. Sometimes we have to zone it out. No, that doesn't mean that we get all high and mighty. I've had people tell me that they weren't going to let me bring them down AFTER asking me about a circumstance in my life. No, remember that the Bible also says that we should bear one another's burdens. But, sometimes we can't bear anymore. Amen? What is it that they say? One negative comment offsets five positives?  It's something like that. The tongue can be destructive or it can be healing.

Proverbs 12:18 (KJV) ¹⁸  There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.



Proverbs 10:20 (KJV) ²⁰  The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth.
Listen, there are times that we can't take anymore. We have to get away and get alone with God. We have to allow Him to heal our wounds and encourage us. We have to allow Him to work it out. We are all guilty from time to time.But we have to clean out the garbage that we allow to get on the inside of us. When the hopelessness of this world poisons our spirits, there is only one antidote. You have to open up that Bible and let IT talk to you. You have to take it to the Lord and let Him heal your heart.  

Well, it took me 45 minutes to type this. It would appear that I have some work to do!
Happy Thanksgiving! Talk to you on black Friday.

  Psalm 52:2 (KJV) ²  Thy tongue deviseth mischiefs; like a sharp razor, working deceitfully.

God Bless