Sharp Edge

One Sunday afternoon, a drunkard trip up along a baptismal service by the river.  He goes down into the water and stands right next to the preacher.

The minister turns to him and asks, “Brother, are you geared up to find Jesus?”  The drunkard looks back and responds, “Yes, Brother, I am.”

With urgency, the preacher plunges the man under the water and draws him back.  “Have you found Jesus, he asked?” “No, I did not Brother, the other replied.

For the second time, the minister dunks him again a bit longer then pulls him up.  “Now, brother, have you found Jesus?”  “No, I did not Reverend.”

The preacher was disheartened and for the third time submerged the man for 30 seconds.  Then pulled him up and in a haughty voice, he asked, “My God, have you found Jesus yet?”

The drunk rubs his eyes and in a disappointed tenor, he says, “Are you sure this is where He fell in?

Funny but that is how human behaves sometimes and the most disappointing about it is when one behaves like a drunk even if not.  Just like yesterday, a stranger sent me a private message on Facebook.  Look at the conversation below. I concealed his identity out of respect of privacy.

I was taken aback. I can’t believe it that there is a belief like this.   Words can be powerful in manifold features.  Occasionally, words can be more injurious than bullets. You could just imagine when listening to music.  You are swayed and even caused to cry by its sweet and emotional messages.  This is because of our capacity to asses a word with depth that makes it mighty in a sense.

1 Timothy 4:1-2 Now the spirit explicitly says that in the last times some will turn away from the faith by paying attention to deceitful spirits and demonic instructions through the hypocrisy of liars with branded consciences.

Leviticus 19:11 You shall not steal. You shall not lie or speak falsely to one another. You shall not swear falsely by my name, thus profaning the Name of your God, I am the Lord.

Psalm 101:7 No one who practices deceit can hold a post in my court. No one who speaks falsely can be among my advisors.

I am saying this to emphasize that communication is very powerful that can both harmonize and destroy. One's reputation can be uplifted merely by a simple word. One's character can be stained simply by a single word.

Colossians 3:9-10 Stop lying to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed for knowledge in the image of its creator.

The way we handle our communication towards our neighbor is the way we present Jesus as the Lamb of God.

As Jesus ascended into heaven, all of our impurities including the destructive words that endangered our good relationship with men and with God were already taken as He ascended into heaven which freed us from the bondage of sin from the least to the biggest.

The Destroyer of evil in the world was slaughtered like a lamb as a sin-offering. This will be meaningless if badmouthing, gossiping, intriguing, bickering, slander could still be apparent in our lifestyles.

Proverbs 12:22 Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord but those who are truthful are His delight.

Proverbs 19:51The false witness will not go unpunished, and he who utters lies will not escape.

It has been noticeable that kids and youth of today are even ridiculous than our elders when it comes to badmouthing. We're given the freedom of speech not to advocate evil works through speaking destructive words like badmouthing and bickering which disharmonize relationships.

Ephesians 4:29 No foul language should come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for needed edification, that it may impart grace to those who hear.

Badmouthing is but an ego-tripping which never benefit. Gossiping in showbiz gives spice of life as others describe it but at the end of the day, they're not only killing the good image of a person but also the camaraderie caused by its backfire.

Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue; those who make it a friend shall eat its fruit.

Proverbs 21:61 He who makes a fortune by a lying tongue is chasing a bubble over deadly snares.

God continues to renew and generate prosperous not to promote malicious mischief, foul language, creative white lies, false journalism, gossipy talk shows that create communication barrier but to establish good rapport towards one another, to testify to the truth, to be purified, as the key to a healthy relationship that builds up good character and a proven worth.

Acts 5:41 You have lied not to human beings but to God.

Tongue is the strongest out of the muscles in one’s body. Could you imagine, by just a mere word from the President of the U.S. another war in Iraq will happen again. Tongues shatter many hearts, help the frail to be sturdy, turn the lonely to cheer up, inspire the desperate to love again.

“Be careful of your thoughts, for your thoughts become your words.  Be careful of your words, for your words become your action.  Be careful of your actions, for your actions, become your habits.  Be careful of your habits, for your habits become your character.  Be careful of your character, for your character becomes your destiny.”