Bless Your Heart

People really know how to go running their mouths, talking about things they have no business discussing, offering advice to others as if they were experts on the subject matter and never stop to consider the horrid self righteousness that permeates through each and every word they utter from their lips. They always set themselves up with classic phrases such as "bless your heart" or "I say this with all the love in my Christian heart." You reek of foul, fake foolishness. If you really had love, then you would go to the source and ask questions, not condemn or even condone. You would seek to understand, not judge. You watch someone and then you judge as if you had the eyes of God to see in their hearts!

Just as an iceberg has most of itself hidden under deep waters, each person's life has itself hidden in shrouds of the past. You may not understand the why or the how of someone's actions but you can bet they have a thousand miles of worn out shoes that tell one amazing story. If you knew every detail, you'd eat every foul word or thought that had manifested itself inside your tiny box of previous understanding. Knowing that should be enough to prevent future rash judgments, but yet, we always assume the worst about a person until they come forward with the whole story, and even then we tend to doubt them. Don't. It's not your business to know every intimate detail. You don't have to understand someone's actions or words. God knows. And that should be sufficient for you.

So the next time you think you have the urge to offer some supposed "wise words", ask yourself, "Do I really know the situation? Will my words help or wound the heart?" If you're not sure, then go with the latter. Too many "well-meaning" people drive others away with "good" intentions. Shut up, listen and give a hug instead.

Yada Yada Yada

God gave us two ears and one mouth because we should listen more than we talk. Or so the saying goes. Many people flap their jaws so much you might think that they had two mouths and one ear! Whether they can't stand the silence, or whether they just like the sound of their own voice, they think others will listen to them more. Or maybe they think that others will perceive them as intelligent or important. It is not the quantity of words that count. In fact, rambling on and on will ensure that everyone stops listening to you! In fact, the two most memorable speeches by the greatest of men were also the shortest! I bet most of you can quote Abraham Lincoln's "Gettysburg Address" and Winston Churchill when he spoke to a group of students and told them to "Never, ever, ever give in." Their brevity and word choice made them memorable.

Is it possible for us to over-talk like that when we pray to God? Our first reaction might be to say, "No way!" And while it is true that God hears every word you utter, whether it is with your mouth or your heart, maybe we do need to slow down and zip up our lips for a moment. The first thought that came to my mind was when Jesus taught his disciples how to pray. Open your Bible to Matthew 6:5-15. Read through it carefully. Now, take a closer look at verse 7. "And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words." There it is: do not keep on babbling. Verse 8 explains why. God knows what we need before we ask Him.

God wants us to come to Him and speak to Him and tell Him all about our troubles. He wants to hear from us, but He also wants us to listen to Him. For however long you speak to God in prayer, you should be listening for twice that. Psalm 46:10 "He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” Just be still. Perhaps God has words He wants to speak to you. Do you let Him speak to you? Open your Bible and find out what He wants you to know.