Tuesday, October 13, 2020

Most likely, all of us need to switch it up.

Proverbs 16:28 says, “A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.” (ESV) It seems these days people are more interested in their personal agendas and sensationalism than we are interested in actual truth being known.

We barely read, don’t try to understand, and share too quickly.

It takes a while to weed through real information, misinformation, rumor, gossip, and hearsay.

It takes even longer to gain real, dependable knowledge.

It takes God to get wisdom...

It only takes moments to say / think / pass on a cliche.

It often takes weeks to convey helpful, life-giving truth in human communication.

The pace of coming into truth is like growing a garden, but we treat it like getting a fast food "value" meal. Do we ask God to cultivate the soil of hearers' hearts, or do we just pave people over with our words / emotions? Do we ask God to plow our own hearts? Are we looking to receive from God?

My commitment has been and remains:

-- really listen

---- to people

------ more importantly, to God

-- think / ponder / consider what is being said

-- respond after much reflection

-- talk with God

-- run what I heard and what I plan to say through the filter of Scripture

-- check my attitude

-- check my motive(s)

-- follow wisdom's counsel on speaking

-- remember! honoring God is my goal

-- remember! loving people, not winning an argument is my objective

-- remember! truth being received is more important than Tim being heard

-- remember! it doesn't matter if people forget me; my truest goal is for them to know Jesus.

That being said, I am looking for fresh change from fresh remembrance of old commitment IN ME.




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