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A Morning View From the Patio

“A gentle answer deflects anger,

    but harsh words make tempers flare.

The tongue of the wise makes knowledge appealing,

    but the mouth of a fool belches out foolishness.

The Lord is watching everywhere,

    keeping his eye on both the evil and the good.

Gentle words are a tree of life;

    a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” - Proverbs 15:1-4


Why do we live in a culture of anger? Why do we say and do hurtful things to others,  to those we love as well as those we are called to share Christ's love with? Have we cultivated a spirit of contention or perhaps strive to feed our selfishness for our own gain? Perhaps we lash out because of our own pain. Maybe we do not realize the demeanor of the moment which we portray? I know I do not always see myself in the moment like others see me. I always beat myself up when I do not respond to another in kindness and love, even when I am on the correct side of the issue. I strive to live by the saying; PB, it is not what you say or do, it is how you say what you say or do what you do. 


I have struggled my whole life with being yelled at and choosing to see myself as a failure in those moments. Oh, I did a lot of things to deserve to be yelled at and sometimes I still do. But being yelled at can bury me in the record which plays in my head that I am worthless and I am a failure. Have you ever said to yourself, "I wonder what I am going to screw up next?" Guess what, when I look for it, I find it! 


We all have the experience of life which drives us. We all choose to walk in our shame and pity or walk as a child of the Creator. We can allow the negative life experiences to control us or surrender to the Spirit of God.  I know it is easy to say and difficult to do. But we are promised help! 


“And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” - Ezekiel 36:26


The message is twofold, because I play a role as a giver of anger and a receiver of pain. Stop responding in anger and stop accepting the pain. We are all better than this! 


Peace,

PB






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