Corona Devo 1734
Have you ever been in a situation where you weren't sure what to say?
Advice? Prayer? Anecdote? Empathy? Sympathy? Scripture?
What's the right thing to say?
What's the wrong thing to say?
How to know what to say can be a challenging choice in some cases, and in this case, I asked God.
Guess what He told me to say?
Nothing.
Women should learn quietly and submissively. (12) ...Let them listen quietly. ~I Timothy 2:11-12
Through the Bible (God's Word), He made it quite clear that I wasn't to interfere. Or commiserate. Or Pollyanna. Or anything.
Sometimes, if we are trying to be a friend, we just need to listen, and the best thing for us to say is nothing at all.
Job was going through the wringer of life and his friends understood the comfort (and wisdom) of silence. They went to Job and their presence was their present to him. In silence (not stimulation) they loved Job.
Perhaps this is the prescription that God is writing for some of us to take today:
When Job’s three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him.
(12) When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads.
(13) Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. ~Job 2:11-13
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God knows us, and to be specific, He knows me, and He knows my tongue.
The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences. ~Proverbs 18:21
This Bible verse can be a comfort and joy to us...or it can rustle feathers of fear in our spirit (those who love to talk will reap the consequences). It all depends on the intention and heart of our words. I could give examples, but if you are like me, some just flew into your mind.
How can we use our tongue to bring life to someone today? Or...how can we stay quiet, so as not to bring death?
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It doesn't have to be difficult.
God gives us simple instructions. Can we attempt to follow them today?
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. ~Ephesians 4:29
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Your mom may have given the same advice that mine did: If you don't have anything nice to say, then don't say anything at all.
And if we do have not-nice things to say, then (God's Word convicts us) to examine why.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. ~Matthew 12:35
And we also must realize that our verbal piercings are not one-time-jabs that fade away. People remember when they have been hurt or disrespected, and God does too:
But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. (37) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” ~Matthew 12:36-37
Think before we speak today. Weigh our words. And we must discern if silence is the best solution.
The Lord has much to say about what we say.
Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. ~James 1:26
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What's the right thing to say today?
What's the wrong thing to say today?
Perhaps today we will say it best when we say nothing at all.
Blessings,
sarah
https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com
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