The Tongue
Dear Sisters,
It was a beautiful evening. I was so thankful to be going to church. I prayed on the way that I might learn so much and that I might worship my Savior. I also prayed that I might be of help to those who come to me in the library after the service.
Then I saw that we were having communion. Oh, I thanked the LORD. How I needed to go to His table, to talk to Him, to worship Him, and to thank Him for His forgiveness and love poured out for me at the cross. I could hardly sing the song toward the end of communion as the tears were welling up in my eyes at the profound truth of the words we sung:
Child of God
Your life laid down, crucified
Your arms stretched out and open wide
To rescue me so I could be a child of God.
> From nail-pierced hands to thorn-pierced brow
Your blood flows down to me somehow
And cleanses me so I could be a child of God.
Praise to the Lamb that was slain
Praise to the Father Who gave His Son away
The proof of love, the price of grace
You traded all to take my place
And died for me so I could be a child of God.
The message kept coming back to me that our pastor had shared so well. How we needed to know our Savior, to love Him, and to want His will for our life. I had been praying all through the service that this might be so for me and my family. I could not get over all that God had done in my life already. I kept thanking Him and thanking Him as I partook of the bread and juice handed me. I barely noticed who served them to me, for my heart was so moved with love at my Savior's sacrifice.
It was a beautiful evening. I was so thankful to be going to church. I prayed on the way that I might learn so much and that I might worship my Savior. I also prayed that I might be of help to those who come to me in the library after the service.
Then I saw that we were having communion. Oh, I thanked the LORD. How I needed to go to His table, to talk to Him, to worship Him, and to thank Him for His forgiveness and love poured out for me at the cross. I could hardly sing the song toward the end of communion as the tears were welling up in my eyes at the profound truth of the words we sung:
Child of God
Your life laid down, crucified
Your arms stretched out and open wide
To rescue me so I could be a child of God.
> From nail-pierced hands to thorn-pierced brow
Your blood flows down to me somehow
And cleanses me so I could be a child of God.
Praise to the Lamb that was slain
Praise to the Father Who gave His Son away
The proof of love, the price of grace
You traded all to take my place
And died for me so I could be a child of God.
The message kept coming back to me that our pastor had shared so well. How we needed to know our Savior, to love Him, and to want His will for our life. I had been praying all through the service that this might be so for me and my family. I could not get over all that God had done in my life already. I kept thanking Him and thanking Him as I partook of the bread and juice handed me. I barely noticed who served them to me, for my heart was so moved with love at my Savior's sacrifice.
"Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile
way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious Blood, as of a Lamb unblemished
and spotless, the Blood of Christ." 1 Peter 1:19
"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." Hebrews 10: 10 & 14 "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, having put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit." 1 Peter 3:18
Later on in the library, my husband came and told me that my son was very upset and had gone to the van during communion. We both didn't know what had happened. I had difficulty concentrating on my library duties as this was so unusual for my son. He is a very loving and kind boy. I knew that something serious must have happened as he had never before acted this way. My husband and my sons are ushers in our church service, so they also serve communion when needed. They were serving communion that evening in the balcony when my son asked my husband to take over for him.
I went out to the van as soon as I could and asked my son what had happened. He was visibly upset.
"Mom, I was having such a good night. I had been writing down what I learned on my outline during the message. Then I was singing and passing out the bread for communion. This lady got up from her seat and came to tell me in the aisle that I shouldn't be ushering as it was very inappropriate to serve communion with my hat on. I told her that I was sorry. Then I could barely get to the end of my aisle, Mom. I just couldn't finish. I had to come to the van. I was having such a good night before this, Mom. Why did this have to happen?"
Oh, my eyes welled up with tears at my son's pain. They still well up as I write this. He loves the LORD so much and often prays that he might never fall away from Him. I knew that he always removed his hat during prayer, but he had not been serving communion long, so I was unsure of what he did with his hat during that time. To be honest, I have always encouraged my children to ask God's forgiveness for their sins and to thank Him for dying on the cross for them during this time, so that is my main focus.
I told my son in the darkness of the van while he held his face in his hands,
"I couldn't have even told you who served me communion tonight or what he had on his head. I was so focused on our LORD and His cross. I am so glad that you are willing to serve and I don't want you to lose that joy. There are so many ways this could have been handled. This woman could have gone to you quietly after the service and not during communion in the aisle, or she could have gone to your father. Having your hat on may have been inappropriate to her, but the way she handled this was far more inappropriate. You see, we think we need to stand right up and state what is on our mind without giving thought to the timing or the wording. What I love is that you said you were sorry and finished up your row. Next time you serve I think it would be good for you to remove your hat. We have to pray and ask the LORD to help you to forgive her timing and her wording right now. "
"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."
"For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified." Hebrews 10: 10 & 14 "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, having put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the Spirit." 1 Peter 3:18
Later on in the library, my husband came and told me that my son was very upset and had gone to the van during communion. We both didn't know what had happened. I had difficulty concentrating on my library duties as this was so unusual for my son. He is a very loving and kind boy. I knew that something serious must have happened as he had never before acted this way. My husband and my sons are ushers in our church service, so they also serve communion when needed. They were serving communion that evening in the balcony when my son asked my husband to take over for him.
I went out to the van as soon as I could and asked my son what had happened. He was visibly upset.
"Mom, I was having such a good night. I had been writing down what I learned on my outline during the message. Then I was singing and passing out the bread for communion. This lady got up from her seat and came to tell me in the aisle that I shouldn't be ushering as it was very inappropriate to serve communion with my hat on. I told her that I was sorry. Then I could barely get to the end of my aisle, Mom. I just couldn't finish. I had to come to the van. I was having such a good night before this, Mom. Why did this have to happen?"
Oh, my eyes welled up with tears at my son's pain. They still well up as I write this. He loves the LORD so much and often prays that he might never fall away from Him. I knew that he always removed his hat during prayer, but he had not been serving communion long, so I was unsure of what he did with his hat during that time. To be honest, I have always encouraged my children to ask God's forgiveness for their sins and to thank Him for dying on the cross for them during this time, so that is my main focus.
I told my son in the darkness of the van while he held his face in his hands,
"I couldn't have even told you who served me communion tonight or what he had on his head. I was so focused on our LORD and His cross. I am so glad that you are willing to serve and I don't want you to lose that joy. There are so many ways this could have been handled. This woman could have gone to you quietly after the service and not during communion in the aisle, or she could have gone to your father. Having your hat on may have been inappropriate to her, but the way she handled this was far more inappropriate. You see, we think we need to stand right up and state what is on our mind without giving thought to the timing or the wording. What I love is that you said you were sorry and finished up your row. Next time you serve I think it would be good for you to remove your hat. We have to pray and ask the LORD to help you to forgive her timing and her wording right now. "
"The wise in heart will be called discerning, and sweetness of speech increases persuasiveness."
Proverbs 16:21
We did pray together as a family when my husband joined us in the van a bit later. My son learned a big lesson last night. It is all about the heart. It is all about the heart. Yet it was my son's heart which concerned me at the moment. For I knew that one can easily lose the joy of serving the LORD from the painful words of one "unbridled tongue." I didn't want my son to lose his desire or his joy in ushering and serving God's people.
"Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2:7-8 I had just read my son this verse early yesterday morning. I had no idea how poignant it would become by that evening. For when my son hurts, I hurt. And I hurt last night. But I shared with him how I have had the same problem. I told him how I love to encourage women. Yet there are those "unbridled tongues" which pop up every now and then. Even in the middle of my serving. Yes, they hurt. Yes, they are inappropriate. But the LORD has helped me to retain my joy in serving Him. I taught my son to run to Jesus in times of pain.
"The righteous man will be glad in the LORD, and will take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart will glory." Psalm 64:10
The upright in heart. There it is again - the condition of the heart. God knows what is going on in a heart and is blessed with a heart poured out for Him. My son has the gift of helps. He loves to serve and help people. I encouraged him to keep serving in the joy of the LORD. One of the things we prayed for was that he would not lose that joy and keep serving in His strength. "Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11
"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe." 1 Timothy 4:12
"Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you..." 1 Timothy 4:13a "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10
We did pray together as a family when my husband joined us in the van a bit later. My son learned a big lesson last night. It is all about the heart. It is all about the heart. Yet it was my son's heart which concerned me at the moment. For I knew that one can easily lose the joy of serving the LORD from the painful words of one "unbridled tongue." I didn't want my son to lose his desire or his joy in ushering and serving God's people.
"Likewise urge the young men to be sensible; in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds, with purity in doctrine, dignified, sound in speech which is beyond reproach, in order that the opponent may be put to shame, having nothing bad to say about us." Titus 2:7-8 I had just read my son this verse early yesterday morning. I had no idea how poignant it would become by that evening. For when my son hurts, I hurt. And I hurt last night. But I shared with him how I have had the same problem. I told him how I love to encourage women. Yet there are those "unbridled tongues" which pop up every now and then. Even in the middle of my serving. Yes, they hurt. Yes, they are inappropriate. But the LORD has helped me to retain my joy in serving Him. I taught my son to run to Jesus in times of pain.
"The righteous man will be glad in the LORD, and will take refuge in Him; and all the upright in heart will glory." Psalm 64:10
The upright in heart. There it is again - the condition of the heart. God knows what is going on in a heart and is blessed with a heart poured out for Him. My son has the gift of helps. He loves to serve and help people. I encouraged him to keep serving in the joy of the LORD. One of the things we prayed for was that he would not lose that joy and keep serving in His strength. "Whoever speaks, let him speak, as it were, the utterances of God; whoever serves, let him do as by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to Whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:11
"Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe." 1 Timothy 4:12
"Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you..." 1 Timothy 4:13a "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10
My son was feeling much better this morning. He told me that he remembered hurting a friend
by his quick, critical words one time. I told him that I had done the same thing as well. It helps
us to remember how we wanted their forgiveness when we had shown this insensitivity. Also the
pain we felt when it was done to us reminds us not to do it again to someone else.
Beware the unbridled tongue. Beware the unbridled tongue. It is a tongue: "not restrained or guided; speaking without restraint or forethought. It is the action of one who assumes a dignified or offended air." Rather let us press on in Christ likeness.
"Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances." Proverbs 25:11 "A healing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it is the crushing of the spirit." Proverbs 15:4 "This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." James 1:19
"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
I grabbed my son's hat and flung it to him as he walked out the door to serve in his youth group's band.
Love,
Laine
Beware the unbridled tongue. Beware the unbridled tongue. It is a tongue: "not restrained or guided; speaking without restraint or forethought. It is the action of one who assumes a dignified or offended air." Rather let us press on in Christ likeness.
"Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances." Proverbs 25:11 "A healing tongue is a tree of life, but perversion in it is the crushing of the spirit." Proverbs 15:4 "This you know, my beloved brethren. But let everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger." James 1:19
"Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
I grabbed my son's hat and flung it to him as he walked out the door to serve in his youth group's band.
Love,
Laine
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