Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Taming our Tongue Tuesday



Proverbs 27: 17
As Iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Sometimes in the course of friendships...it's necessary to talk... honestly discuss...
situations or problems with someone who will tell us the truth... in love.

Do you have a friend like that?
Well I do.

And just recently...I was sharpened...

At first...I waited. No I was put off. OK...it was from a friend of gold.
Someone I've know for so long, decades now,  that I know malice wasn't coming from her lips.

"He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue." Proverbs 28:23

This person doesn't speak to me in malice.  We joke, we play around, but malice isn't an issue. 
So I know there had to be some truth in what was said.

I processed it.
I accepted it.
And am now living it.

As simple as that.

But that isn't always the case.

Sometimes, I and you might be this way as well...we don't accept correction from others, from friends, because of

p r  i  d e...

Yep...good ole' pride.

And no one really wants to be the bearer of bad news. 

We want everything to be happy...all the time.

Folks that is trap of the enemy...pure and simple.

Sometimes in the course any relationships we have to do some hard work...with those we love those we have to speak to...
about life...
about themselves...
about their situation...
sometimes about OUR situation...

Sometimes confrontation is in order. (I'm like the biggest baby when it comes to this...)

What if Jesus didn't confront the woman at the well?  What if he hadn't exposed her adultery to her.  She knew she was living in sin...but she had lived with it so long...it didn't bother her.
He did it without malice, without little barbs, without snipes...
just an honest answer in love.

Sometimes when we build up others in the kingdom...remember "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace." Colossians 3:15

Ideally, in a congregation of Christians, we are all teachers, we are all learners.  Each of us has something to learn and each of us has something to share. I'm not talking about sharing with acquaintances ... because usually that's done with malice...I'm talking about honest talk among good friends...the kind you call just to talk...just to hang with... 

(hanging in a bible study or on the same pew doesn't count...and if someone comes to tell you something and you aren't close...

RUN!)

If you have something God wants you to share... just remember...
"whatever you do, whether in word of deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." Colossians 3:17

Peace.

9 comments:

Darcie said...

You hit it right on the head. I so don't like to be told when I have done something wrong...I need to work on my pride for sure.

Thanks for the reminder...less pride and more of Him.

really.truly said...

I liked your last comment about when to run. Another time I run is when someone tells me that the Lord told them to tell me something.

But, a friend in love who sharpens me....it's hard but that is a valuable and precious friend.

From the Old InkWell said...

Lorrie, several very good lessons here. I've found that it's rare to find someone who will tell you the truth. It takes courage.
Have a blessed day!

Toia said...

Sometimes it is hard to hear the truth coming from a friend. It's all about processing it and not allow pride to set in. Pride comes before destruction. Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

I love this and your openness. It´s so true that when someone we love comes to tell us something we need to work on it´s so much better than an aquaintance or a "holier than thou" in the church. I think we need to be sharpened and if it comes maybe we need to see the truth in it but still take it with a grain of salt. my Grandma always has told me to grow some tough skin and let it roll off. ;) In the ministry, I have to take the fruit and spit out the pits sometimes.
Thanks for this post!
What a great reminder too to keep our tongue from evil.

Love Abounds At Home said...

You would be so proud of me. I tamed my tongue this week.....well, actually it was a response to something on Facebook. I commented on someone's status. Another sister in Christ blasted me. She was so out of line and everybody was shocked that she would say such horrible stuff. So being the girl from the ghetto that I am, I responded.....But I didn't click the comment button.
Later I had someone to tell me that if i had responded the way I was going to, I would have lost credibility with a lots of people.
So glad I tamed my finger and didn't touch my mouse.
I'll also admit, had to let go of my pride! I'm still leaning.....
I should have asked myself "wwld".....What Would Lorrie Do!

Beth in NC said...

Good point about pride. I pray I'll always have a teachable heart & spirit.

Love,
b

Lorrie said...

You don't want to say "What would Lorrie Do?" cause Lorrie is still in diapers...I do mean...diapers...The more I dig in the bible about stuff...the more the devil attacks...it's just a struggle!

Unknown said...

I really like this post! especially your comment here at the end - I feel very much that I am still in diapers... having not grown up in the church, I am ALWAYS learning new things!