In Matthew it
says, “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this is
what defiles.” It’s the inside that can hurt people not the outside or the
perception you. When we have a conversation with someone are we thinking
about what we are saying or do we just talk? When we are talking about
sports or movies we probably just are just having a conversation because
those items are general topics; while every person has there favorite sports
team and movie we really don’t have the conflicts that we have in a
political debate.
While we are
having a conversation how are we suppose to know what is going to hurt some
ones feelings? Not everyone can be a mind reader so if we do end up a
fending someone how do we apologize? I think everyone has heard the saying
“sticks and stone may brake my bone but work will never hurt me” but isn’t
that what hurts people the most. Words. Simple things we use every day.
Those things we had to learn how to spell all throughout school, can do some
much damage. When we are talking we are speaking from the heart and the
words we use have a different effect on everybody.
As children and
teenagers things that might bother adults might go in one ear and out the
other for us while, adult might not think the same way. When dealing with
perception in different age groups how do we tell what is and isn’t
appropriate? When adults are having a conversation and a kid walks up and
they suddenly stop do they think a child might not be old enough to
understand that conversation or is it something that a child is not suitable
for?
When we are
talking to people we generally have a good idea of what we are saying, but
what happens when we get angry at someone and we start yelling at them do we
realize what we are saying, did we make the right choices in words?
Probably not. We are so mad at the person we start saying things that we
really don’t mean, but how do you take that back? Not everyone can just
forgive and forget because I think that is what we all try to do but we
can’t; for some reason we will always remember what the person said no
matter if they meant to say in or not. I mean it’s not like we can just
rewind time, the damage has already been done. So when we apologize what do
we say to that person, “sorry I really didn’t mean it, it wouldn’t happen
again.” Because I have said that so many times and it keeps happening. Can
we just blame it on human nature or is it something about that person we
can’t understand? That part of us that made us blow up at them, or was it
the other persons fault. Sure it seems pretty easy just to say, “oh it was
their fault.” And I think we have a tendency to do that but after both
parties cool down then do we realize who it at fault, or are we to busy
trying to figure that out that we really don’t understand what God wanted us
to learn from the choices we make and the gifts we are so blessed to
have!Everyone wants what they don’t have, it’s a common thing. But what
happened to wanting what you do have because if we waste our time wanting
what we don’t have we really waste important time not loving who we are.
God has given us all gifts and he doesn’t make mistakes so why do we all
want what God didn’t give us? Is it because we don’t know how to use our
own gifts or are we all just not satisfied by what God gave us? Also as we
get older and grow into who we are do we better understand how to best use
our gifts?
In Romans it
says, “God has not rejected his people whom he foreknew. For the gifts and
the calling of God are irrevocable.” What God gives you and tells you can
not be taken away. Gifts. These little parts of us that make us who we
are, are the gifts God gave us. We may not like them in the beginning but
what we learn in life is that we have special gifts that can’t be returned.
Sure you can change the color of your hair and put different color contacts
in your eyes but underneath all that you have the gifts God gave you.
Sometimes we get gifts that we don’t like or something we don’t want. So we
go back to the store and exchange it for something else or get money back.
But you can’t do that with the gifts God gives you. The moment you are born
God has already given you the gift of being a child of God. Sometime I
think we forget what it is like being a child of God. We get so wrapped up
with the materialistic things we forget to notice the simple things, the
gifts we are so blessed with. The best friend who you always love giggling
with or the quite nights in your own backyard, even having a family dinner.
We forget the simple blessing of be a child of God. God make us all
different and learning who we are, is part of growing up and loving the
person who you are is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.
Sometimes we
have to do thing we generally don’t want to do. Most people after having a
long day don’t want to come home to a messy house and then cook dinner. Or
after making a commitment sometime we don’t think that choice was very
good. When making choices how can you tell if it’s going to be a good or
bad choice. It’s probably when you start with the what ifs. But after you
make a choice you have to decide if it is a good decision but how can you do
that? Most don’t effect you until after the fact. So if you choose
something how did you make that decision? By the what ifs or weighing the
odds? Maybe our decision was based on what other people said or on what
others were going to think about the choice you made?
The decisions we
make directly effect our relationship with God. In John it says, “ If you
abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish and it
will be done for you.” If you trust God it will be done for you. God has
helped us whenever we have asked; maybe not in the way we wanted but in a
way that we are taught a good choice from a bad one. Making poor decisions
have a bad effect, going out to a party or even simpler driving without a
seatbelt. The things we know we shouldn’t be doing, but do all the time.
We are just testing fait and usually is not a good decision.
Maggie Olander,
Guest Speaker
