What no Family Huddle this week? Hey, it's been a crazy month for me. I've decided I did January all wrong. I tried to fit too much into it, and didn't take enough time for me. Which come to think of it, is the story of my life. I led Kidz Life Church all this month, and had a great time doing it. I was a Mom, which is a full time job in and of itself. I worked more hours than ever before at the church, and I spoke on a Wednesday on What Seventh-Day Adventists Believe....oh and I took my last credentialing class at GSOM, and got a 100! Not that I am bragging or anything. Yes, I am tired just remembering all that happened in January.
It was during my study on Seventh-Day Adventists that I came across, in my New Living Translation Study Bible, Romans 14 and I looked at it with new eyes. Written over the chapter are these words, "The Danger of Criticism". I would encourage you to read this chapter this week. It's an incredible word for the body of Christ. It's not saying that I can't discuss what I believe and why I believe it. It is really saying don't criticize me if I choose to wear pants to Sunday morning service, and you choose to wear a skirt! (A word I received from our Associate Pastor's wife, that still echoes in my spirit.) Okay so it really isn't saying that word for word, but I think you will get the drift once you have read it.
God wants to be at work in all of us! Critics can cause division. They can hurt people. A long time ago I said some things to a family member. It caused so much pain, and I regretted the words as soon as I said them. It took a while and some tears, but eventually I was forgiven. I wrote this poem and sent it to my family member. I won't share it all here, but I thought it fit my thoughts this morning.
The words that lie between us,
Keep haunting me in my mind,
And though I try so hard to forget them,
They are with me all the time.
For you wound me, you wound me,
With the words of a hateful tongue you wound my heart.
But He'll heal us, He will heal us.
Through His love and His forgiveness we'll have a brand new start.
I cannot blame it all on you,
For my tongue did damage too.
If I beg for your forgiveness now,
Can we work it out somehow?
For I hurt you, I hurt you,
With the words of a hateful tongue I broke your heart.
But He'll heal us, He will heal us,
Through His love and His forgiveness we'll have a brand new start.
For the tongue can do much damage,
To a brother or a friend,
And those hateful words we said, we'd like to take them back again.
So guard against this evil, for it comes not from our Lord.
For the tongue can be more painful than a mighty battle sword.
For you wound me, and I hurt you,
With the words of a hateful tongue we hurt each other.
But He'll heal us, He will heal us,
Through His love and His forgiveness we'll become brothers....
I am not proud of many of the things I have said throughout my life, but I like to think that now I try to "Think" before I "Speak". I want Words of Life to come forth from my lips, and not words of Criticism. Read Romans 14 this week, and if by some chance you have said something to someone, words that hurt them, go ahead and ask forgiveness. The relationship may never be the same again, but at least you will know you did something to begin the healing process. Blessings......
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