"no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water." - James 3:8-12
Martie and my calling is to help people in the time of their need after a natural disaster. The qualification is that they are in need, and not their spiritual condition. I remember meeting a man in Mississippi who represented a particular Christian denomination. He had been sent down to assess the need. He told me that they were only going to help people in their denomination. I told him it was good that they were going to help. I didn't judge him - at least they were doing something.
"It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners." - Luke 5:31
The people that we have met this past week have run the gambit with respect to spiritual condition. Only one has been overtly a person of faith. I reminded myself that we have been sent as light into the darkness. That we should not expect those who are blind to see. Those who are not indwelt by the Spirit of God to behave as if they were. We have entered their world.
Sounds good - but the test is how will you respond when you find yourself in the middle of it. We were delivering sheds to an area that was ravaged by Ian. As we unloaded a shed, on of the skids came off. That is the first time that has happened. I have been very careful to ensure that volunteers fasten the skids properly. But this one was not. We had to roll the shed on its side to refasten the skid. A man who lived next door came over and offered to help. I think he might have been a sailor - based upon his very rough language. One expletive after another rolled off of his tongue. I was reminded of the verse ....
"Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit. You brood of vipers! How can you speak good, when you are evil? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil." - Matthew 12:33-35
He was merely expressing what was in him. I told one of the volunteers that we are in his world - this is normal for him. We can and should insulate ourselves from that world but we have been called to be light in it - not isolated from it. Listen - that man used to be me at one point in my life before I met Jesus on the road. He was a great help in fixing the shed. At one point he mentioned Jesus to Martie and she showed him the back of her Pathfinder t-shirt which says "Jesus Strong". An opportunity to bear witness to our Lord. When it was over, he offered us each a cold beer. His world. And no, I did not accept it. Insulated. That also used to be a big part of my old life.
Profane words are just that - words. Hare to listen to, yes, but they reflect the heart of the one speaking. Don't get wrapped up in the fact that you are hearing them, but see the heart of the one speaking them. It will change the way you respond to the speaker.
Think about it – Pray about it – Believe it – Walk in it. Let your light shine and give God the glory.
By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone
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