Photo Source: rushtonphillips.com

I’m going to make this post short (I hope) and to the point. If the picture above is huge, it’s because I am blogging from my iPhone and my mind is somewhat scattered.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.”

Well that’s a lie!

In the book of James, chapter 3 talks about taming the tongue. We can speak blessings out of it towards God but curse man with it just as well. This is so wrong. There is power of life and death in this little member of our body that we have. Who can tame it? Lord help us all.

Well I must say that this week had been a good one for me so far. As the saying goes, today is Freaky Friday/ the freaks come out at night Friday or something along those lines.

Anyway, I typically don’t go out the house too much on Fridays simply because of all the traffic of the weekend starting BUT today was mommy- daughter day and I took my younger girls out to see a movie a few hours ago. In route, I was rudely cut off on the highway almost causing my car and another vehicle to rub sides.

I let it go.

The closer I got to town, a guy waits to pass me and yells out a racial slur with curse words for no reason. Well I’m sure he thinks he had a reason but there was no justification for his ignorance.

I let it go though I chose to yell back “God bless you!” and then I said a quick prayer for him. ( I was in a convertible so that’s the only reason why I yelled. I could have kept my mouth closed all together but I wanted to speak life into the atmosphere. I chose to bless the guy instead of lashing back. At the same time, I allowed my girls to see that we should not do tit for tat, indulge in ignorance of foolish talk which could lead to more destructive behavior of the person who started it. You get what I’m saying.

Jesus says: “But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, (Matthew 5:44 NKJV)

Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For,”Whoever would love life
and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. (1 Peter 3:9, 10 NIV)

* I’m getting to my point of why I’m writing! Just hold on. I’m longwinded and seemingly have to share just about every detail of my story! It’s a habit. Sorry!

As I was walking towards the theatre I thought about this whole sticks and stones bit. Yes my feelings were hurt because of the racial remarks and that my children had to hear it but at the same time I felt worse for the guy who said it. He’s lost. He doesn’t know Christ and I can only pray that he does not cross paths with another person who may not handle him the same way.

I also thought about how we as Christians are and will be persecuted many times over and some even killed simply because we believe in Jesus and serve him. (martyrdom)
Whether we suffer various things based upon race, creed, prejudice, envy or what have you, we clearly need to be prepared for worse. We will suffer because of Who we belong to. This world just keeps getting more and more ugly. We must be careful in what we say and how we treat others. There is enough evil being done amongst one another in general. We need not throw fuel to the flame.

May we stand out and make a difference. We are called to be the salt of the earth. We have been chosen and transformed. May we not fall into the pit of trying to repay evil back with words or action. Vengeance belongs to the Lord.

Ultimately may we reflect and remember that worse was done to Christ. It was more than sticks and stones, the beatings, the lashings, the crown of thorns and mocking, the blood, the tears, the spit and piercing in his side that crucified him. It was our sin that nailed him to the cross. He could have stopped it all yet he endured just for us to have a chance to be set free. He led by example.

May we do the same.

God bless you and keep you in every matter.

A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. (Proverbs 15:1 NKJV)