The tribulations that people go through are very real, and yes, at times they are the result of bad decisions. We see the divide infecting even our nation today, in the rancor demonstrated in politics, even in news casting and a host of other things. There is plenty of indignant self righteousness going around, and even the best of the best can get caught up in that without realizing the seriousness of measuring people by self evaluation, or basing the character of an individual by using self as a measuring rod. Romans 12:9 speaks loudly this morning. “Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil: cleave to that which is good.” Evaluations are often based upon thinking outside of God’s counsel. It is based in the emotions of he natural man and we must avoid that in our life. Dissimulation includes the idea of despise or hate bitterly. It is that which divides even believers, and can be rooted in evil, but it is often the flesh’s desire to be separated from another rather than being joined together. A powerful word, none the less. Proverbs 15:21-23 speaks well this morning. “Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom: but a man of understanding walks uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established. A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!”
It is made simple when we read these words in Colossians 4:4. “Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man. We also read in Mark 9:50 “Salt is good: but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith will ye season it? Have salt in yourselves and have peace with one another.” The testimony of grace is often cast off in the heat of moments in time, and wisdom falls in the street of natural thinking. Wisdom comes from above and we need to learn as James instructs us to be in James 1:19, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, and slow to speak, slow to wrath.” The verse comes to mind where we read, “A fool utters all his mind, but a wise man keeps it in till afterwards.” Proverbs 29:11
This morning Proverbs 4:29 is a great admonishment from God. “Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out it are the issues of life.” We speak in hast or in anger, and we do not quiet our hearts to think with God and the tongue can become a weapon of destruction, separating even friends. Don’t allow words to slip out of your mouth, that you will soon regret. Let the Holy Spirit of God, be the governor of your tongue, and let your words be edifying, lest ye trample underfoot, the love of Christ and the grace that sustains us as we walk in this world.
