Oh Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say

I just got home from our weekly Leadership Breakfast at Denny's in Perryville.  While we were there, an older man was getting "blessed out" by a middle aged woman.  I do believe they were complete strangers.  This altercation took place while the man was at the register paying for his breakfast.  I am not totally sure what the problem was but I am sure that the woman was using awful language and was extremely aggressive.  Now, I am assuming that the man did not agree with the lifestyle choices of the woman and must have said something to that affect therefore offending the woman and her friend.  My problem with the whole situation is that the woman (by her demeanor I cannot call her a lady) offended everyone in earshot by dropping some language bombs.

It is natural to be offended when someone does not agree with you or your choices.  BUT c'mon world, learn how to talk to each other.  Treat each other with respect and dignity.  Be kind to one another.  Treat each other the way you would like to be treated.  These are not hard goals.  It is very basic stuff.  My father told me that it shows great ignorance when your vocabulary is stunted at 4 letter words (paraphrase).  Read a book, maybe like the dictionary...learn some new words people.  The world would be a much happier place.

When Jake was between 6 and 10, he would get out his daddy's huge blue dictionary and just read and read and read.  I asked him why he was reading the dictionary all the time.  His reply still cracks me up to this day.  He said, "So I can know and use words ( the right way) that my sisters don't know.  It makes them really mad and I think it is funny."  Now, Jake's motives were sketchy but he has an amazing vocabulary...not that he chooses to use it all the time.

Jake, Kelcie & Juliana a few Christmas' ago.  He still likes to
aggravate them on a regular basis.

There are a lot of people in this world that I disagree with to my very core, but I am not allowed to be unkind.  You can disagree with others without being cruel or making a scene.  Jesus said to be kind to one another.  That is not a suggestion, it is a command.  I must be kind even when I disagree.  Just because you are angry does not give you license to say whatever you want and hurt others.  Wounds made by words go much deeper than those made by weapons.

The song from yesterday is going in my mind again, only now it is a different verse, "Oh be careful little mouth what you say. For the Father up above is looking down in love.  Oh be careful little mouth what you say."  This is a song that we learned when we were children but as adults we need to be mindful of what we say.  God is love, everything we do should be grounded in Love.

The Message Bible puts it this way, "Watch the way you talk.  Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth.  Say only what helps, each word a gift." Ephesians 4:29

The New King James Version says, "Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers." Ephesians 4:29