Foot in Mouth?

"A closed mouth gathers no foot."

 

I saw this quote the other day and it made me laugh and I thought, so true.  But then I pondered. . .we can't keep our mouths shut ALL the time.

 

And then I saw this verse. . .

 

"Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."

Matthew 12:34

 

And so I pondered once again. . .

 

What is the abundance of my heart?  Is it good and pleasing or not?

My mouth will speak from the abundance in my heart.

We have a choice to put into our hearts what we will.  Sometimes our hearts fill so casually and slowly with things, that we don't even realize it until we stub our toe, or someone irks us, or that annoying driver in front of us is well. . . you know. . .annoying us.

 

And then there is gossip.  Even the best of people can fall into this one.  How to stop it?  Well, just keeping the mouth closed will not work, because time has shown that just doesn't happen.  It goes back to the heart.  What are we putting into our heart and minds.  Are we being careful what we watch on the screens, are we being careful who we hang around on a regular basis, are we spending daily time with the Lord, soaking up His presence and His Words and His love.

 

I think if we do, then we are safe to open our mouths.  Yes, we are human and sometimes the foot goes in.  Thank goodness, He doesn't wash our mouths out with soap, He forgives and tells us to go on and do better.

 

So, are you thinking, does Kris have this problem?  Actually, when I am annoyed, or irked or stub my toe, I yell out to Jesus.  Other times, if others are involved, (the irkers), I pray for them.  It's amazing how when you pray, you can't be irked anymore. 
But. . .when my feelings get hurt or I think something is unfair, well. . .
Yes, I have taken it to others when I should have just kept my mouth closed. I have felt the invisible kick in the pants from the Holy Spirit and I apologize.

So. . .thinking back to the quote at the top. . .A closed mouth cannot offer encouragement, it cannot praise with singing, it cannot offer prayer to the one in front of you. I would say that if you open up your heart to good and pleasing things of the Lord, it will be safe to open the mouth. And when the feelings get hurt, I'll just open my heart to the Lord.

I'm going to continue to open my mouth when the time is right and I will lean on the Holy Spirit for guidance and I have asked Him to keep both my 6 1/2's on the ground and not come anywhere near open mouth.

I will still write what's on my heart, but know that I pray each time before hitting that publish button.

And if I happen to slip and open my mouth in front of you when it should be closed. . .I give you permission to kick me in the pants.

Who's Coming To Dinner?

*I wrote this post over five years ago having no idea I would teach an ex-con about it.

 

I didn't know Greg back then, a special homeless man who said I needed to write a book.

I didn't know then that he and I would get to sit on a park bench together many times.

I didn't know back then I would get to witness this giant of a man give his heart to Christ.

I didn't know back then that he would say to me, "I now have a seat at the King's table, you taught me that."

I didn't know on that park bench that he would take his seat so soon.

If you ever fear sharing, please don't. You never know when that person who needs to hear will be called to take their place at the table.

And which one will it be?*

 

 

Who's Coming to Dinner?

 

The first supper we read about in the Bible is in Genesis, chapter three.  The appetizer, main course and dessert were all wrapped up in one juicy piece of fruit that was “pleasing to the eye.”  Who was on the guest list?  Adam and Eve of course.  They didn’t pay money for this dinner, but oh, how they paid!  The cost of this dinner. . .destruction, sin entered the world, which led to death, nakedness, shame, fear, broken relationships. . .disastrous!

Far down the time line was another feast, known as the Last Supper.  The guest list here was Jesus as guest of honor and His twelve disciples.  The menu. . .unleavened bread, lamb, bitter herbs, and wine.  The cost?  The ultimate sacrifice was coming to pay for the cost of the first supper. . .victory over death, the gift of forgiveness, the chains of shame and fear and broken relationships broken and freedom restored.  Hallelujah!

In the New Earth will be another feast.  In the book of Revelation we are told the guest list here will include all believers.  We will be invited to eat from the tree of life.  Interesting.  The Garden of Eden had a tree of life but two were told not to eat from it.  Disobedience brought on sin.  We are told as depicted in Revelation we believers will be invited to eat from the tree of life because our sins have been removed.  I’m definitely no bible scholar so this may be literal or symbolic.  But it just goes to show that there was a plan in place even when the first two diners committed the first wrong.

I don’t know about you but this gives me comfort.  From beginning to end we see God and His plan.  He is just and He is loving.  The two go hand in hand.

The first supper involved selfishness and disobedience.  The last supper involved unselfishness and obedience.  The first supper, Satan slithers and misleads.  After the last supper, Jesus crushes the serpent’s head. 

In the New Earth feast, our dining clothes will be robes of righteousness.  The cost of this feast?  According to Revelation 21:6, there will be no cost…He says, “To him who is thirsty, I will give to drink without cost from the spring of life.”

Dining with Jesus, can you fathom it?  As believers, we already dine with Him, we just can’t see Him face to face, but He is with us always.  Do we act like He is with us at our dining table, our restaurant table, at our picnics?  He not only feeds us with food and drink, but also feeds us with forgiveness, peace, joy and unconditional love.

Who’s coming to your dinner tonight?  Will there be a place for the one called “The Bread of Life?”  If so, let us remember to say “thank you” for all the nourishments in life He provides for us.  After the prayer of thanks and gratitude, let’s “eat, drink, and be merry.”

 

 

*God and Greg led me to write that book. The title is Greg's own words he spoke many times. . .

Ya Know What I'm Say'n

 

If you are interested in the book, you may purchase it at Amazon.com or Barnes&Noble.com

If you live in the Bowling Green, KY area,  you can find the book in the Lifeway store and the

Barnes and Noble Book Store.

You may click on the book's picture to the right of the blog and it will take you to the book's FB page. Please feel free to come over and "like" to keep up with us and we would love for you to share with us.

Thank you*