Corona Devo 1781

A wise woman once told me that when making pineapple upside down cake...always be extra generous with the butter and brown sugar portion of the recipe.  And she was (so) right: the extra sweetness makes a big difference.  

If you've ever made pineapple upside down cake, it begins with melted butter and brown sugar mixed together on the bottom of a pan.  Then a cherry usually goes in the center, and some form of pineapple is layered on top of that sweet goo.  And then cake batter is poured over the candied-pineapple foundation. 

At the end of the baking process, the pan is then inverted, and the topping (including the extra brown sugar and butter) becomes the top of the cake...the sweet, yummy, delicious, outstanding topping on top of the cake. 

And that wise woman was correct...every time I make pineapple upside down cake, I use an extra portion of butter and brown sugar and it is a (sweet!) blessing to me and others.   

That (extra brown sugar and butter advice) were some wise words leading to baking success.  But, we can receive some even wiser words leading to our success and the success of others...and it begins with a different kind of sweetness.  

Sweet words.  

Kind conversation.  

The love of God communicated through our words.  

The tongue has the power of life and death...  ~Proverbs 18:21

Have we put much thought lately into what we say and how we say it?  Are our words adding an extra portion of kindness, encouragement, and life to someone today?  Or does our tongue provide lashings laced with sarcasm, criticism, or plain-old meanness?  

The brown sugar and butter bring the sweetness to pineapple upside down cake, and an extra portion of these two go a long way.  Our words (and intentions) are the same: they can build up or tear down.  Today, let's take a moment (and a breath) to assess a situation (and person) before we speak.  Think, and love...with our words.  

God's big rule for us as His kids is to love one another.  He repeats it many times and in many ways throughout the Bible.  We can certainly show people that we love them, but our words are an immediate and obvious method of loving one another.  How are we doing with this command?  

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (35) By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”  John 13:34-35

Are we loving one another with our words?  

Can we today?

~~~

The tricky thing about God is that He always gets to the nitty gritty of things...and of us.  

If we (...if I) am not speaking kind words, sweet words, life-giving words to others...what is the reason?

For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. (35) A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. (36) But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. (37) For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”  ~Matthew 12:34-37

What well-spring is our mouth speaking from?  If it is a heart and life filled with Jesus....then Jesus will be spoken.  But if the sweetness and goodness of God is not what fills our heart up to the uttermost, then other things spill out of our mouth, don't they? 

Heavenly Father, please grant us an extra generous portion in understanding Your love for us, Your forgiveness of our sinful shortcomings, and Your grace and mercy.  Lord, when we realize all that You have given us in love, then we can easily reflect and speak Your love into others.  May we be spokespeople of Your love today, Lord.  Amen.

If we will choose to provide an extra portion of (verbal) kindness to others today, it will sweeten their day.  It will comfort their hearts.  It could make a sweet, outstanding topping on their day.   

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. Psalm 16:24

The extra sweetness makes a big difference.  

God's recipe for life is very simple.  And it's also sweet.  

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ (31) The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”  ~Mark 12:30-31


Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com 

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