GOD IS LISTENING TO OUR WORDS

I often begin my day at a local café; yes, with a cup of brew coffee. Someone asked me one time how much coffee I drink and I told them a cup in the morning. Then they asked me how of large of cup I use. I responded, “Umm, usually, a 20-ounce one.” To which they kindly commented how that’s equal to nearly three cups of coffee. I’m thinking they need to mind their own business. 

Throughout the day, our local cafes (and there are many) have a continual stream of people who use them as a place to meet with friends or business associates. I have a concept for a new reality TV show, like we need one more, where the idea is to eavesdrop on all the conversations in the café. You can hear some pretty amazing things if you want to, and sometimes you don’t even have to try because people are talking so loudly. I was sitting in Starbucks one early Sunday morning (Bakerview for the locals), reading over my message notes and preparing for our worship gathering. A group of five or six women came in and sat on the large leather loveseats near where I was seated. I quickly learned they were headed to Vegas. So here I am trying to focus on teaching God’s Word and these ladies, err, females, begin discussing their various plastic surgeries. Can you say, “Awkward!” Clearly they weren’t embarrassed, but I was, sitting only few feet away. After a several minutes of this auditory assault, I decided I’d heard enough and headed to the office earlier than normal. 

Jesus said something which is conveniently ignored by many and dismissed as impossible to obey by most. It has to do with our conversations, our words. “I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken.” (Matthew 12:36 NIV) It’s my observation, whether the conversation is in a café or over the fence talking to a neighbor, people are far too careless with their words. Given the new and improved technologies for communication, there are more words being spoken (texted, tweeted, blogged, etc.) than ever before. Of course, this means there are more ways for us to fall into bad habits in our communication.

I think it’d be a good idea if the following words, from William Penn, could be hung in every café in the county: “Never believe anything bad about anybody unless you positively know it to be true; never tell even that unless you feel that it is absolutely necessary—and that God is listening while you tell it.” Better than hanging the words on a wall, would be for us to write God’s Word on our hearts so we take it with us wherever we go (Proverbs 7:1-3). Penn’s reminder “God is listening” to every word of our conversations should be a warning to watch what we say. James 5:9 (NAS) says: “…the Judge is standing right at the door.”

 The different sins of the tongue mentioned in the Bible is long: LYING, SLANDER, FAULTFINDING, GOSSIP, BACKBITING, BEARING FALSE WITNESS, FLATTERY, CURSING, COARSE JESTING [JOKING], EXAGGERATION, etc. James writes the (3:8 NIV) tongue “is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” As every parent teaches their child: “If you don’t have something good to say, don’t say anything at all.” I’d say that’s smart advice for both children and parents!