• Doing ministry, work, and life in a hurried, harried, and crazy world
September 12, 2009

Mastering the Tongue

By Eyvonne

A Sunday School Lesson from the Young Adults class at Brookview Baptist on 9/12/2009

Has there ever been an instrument of mankind that has caused more damage than the tongue?  Today we’re going to look at a selection of verses from Proverbs and see what they say to us about mastering the unwieldy tendancy our tongue.

Today, I hope this cross section of verses will help you see how serious this issue is and the consistency with which the book of Proverbs addresses this topic.  God takes mastering our speach very seriously, therefore so should we!

Truth and Lies

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Proverbs 21:6
A fortune made by a lying tongue
is a fleeting vapor and a deadly snare

Proverbs 16:13
Kings take pleasure in honest lips;
they value a man who speaks the truth.

  1. From Proverbs 6:16-19, what three detestable things in these verses are related to our tongues and/or how we speak?
  2. Why do you believe lying is addressed so seriously here?
  3. What does Proverbs 16:13 say will happen if you consistently speak the truth?
  4. Do you struggle with telling the truth, and what can you do to improve in this area?

Holding Our Tongue

Proverbs 10:19
When words are many, sin is not absent,
but he who holds his tongue is wise.

Proverbs 11:12
A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor,
but a man of understanding holds his tongue.

Proverbs 17:28
Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent,
and discerning if he holds his tongue.

Proverbs 21:23
He who guards his mouth and his tongue
keeps himself from calamity.

Proverbs 4:24
Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Proverbs 15:28
The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

  1. How should these verses impact how we speak and what we say to others?
  2. Are you suprised at the number of times Proverbs references holding our tongue?
  3. Is this an area of personal struggle for you? If so, why? What inner force makes you feel the desire to speak out rashly or thoughtlessly?

A Wise Tongue

Proverbs 12:18
Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

Proverbs 15:2
The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

Proverbs 10:14
Wise men store up knowledge,
but the mouth of a fool invites ruin.

Proverbs 20:15
Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

  1. Have you ever thought about how wisdom is linked to how and when you speak?
  2. How can you move toward having the kind of wisdom spoken of here?

A Calm Tongue

Proverbs 25:15
Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

  1. What kind of impact could this verse have in your family, church, and professional life if applied consistently?

Flattery and Boasting

Proverbs 28:23
 He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor
than he who has a flattering tongue.

Proverbs 27:2
Let another praise you, and not your own mouth;
someone else, and not your own lips.

  1. What do you think Proverbs 28:23 means by rebuke? How do you apply this verse lovingly be and consistent with all of scripture?
  2. How do the instructions in this verse contradict what our culture recommends?
  3. Do you have a desire to praise yourself and point out your accomplishments to those around you? Why do you think Proverbs 27:2 recommends against this?

Self Study

Look at the following links to keyword lookups at Bible Gateway. There are three searches: one for the word ‘tongue’; one for the word ‘mouth’; and one for the word ‘speak’. Read through the verses in Proverbs that reference our daily speach. Are there others trends that you see that were not discussed today? What topics stand out to you?

Post a comment below about what you observed from this brief overview in Proverbs.

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July 2, 2009

Do you want to get well?

By Eyvonne

Imagine this scene with me.

A 38-year-old man is lying on the ground beside pool of water. He’s been taught since childhood that if the waters of this pool stir, and he makes it in first, he will be healed. Every day of his adult life he has come to this pool to lie beside it. Every day, there is a tiny glimmer of hope that today will be the day he is restored. One day, there is a commotion by the pool. Ailing bodies groan and move and push toward the water. There are splashes and shouts. But the man’s condition is so frail that he barely shifts his weight before others have made it in the water. For another day, his hopes have been dashed and discouragement takes its place.

One day a religous teacher walks by. He looks and that man and asks, “Do you want to get well?”

John 5:6-9

When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

“Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.”

Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked.

The day on which this took place was a Sabbath,

Imagine what was going on in the mind of this crippled man. His entire life he’d heard people talk about the pool at Bethesda. If only he could be the first in the waters when they stirred, he’d be healed. At least, that’s what everyone said. But, his condition made it impossible for him to get into the water.

The ailing man heard Jesus question and responded with his evidence. You can almost hear the frustration in his voice when he described his plight. “I have no one to help me,” was his cry. His response could have been, “Why else do you think I’m down here every day?”

When Jesus asked him if he wanted to be healed, he explained everything he’d done to try and get well. But Jesus wasn’t asking for what he’d done in the past, he was asking about the man’s desire today. “Do you want to get well?”

Today, Jesus asks me that same question.

  • Do you want to leave behind your selfishness?
  • Do you want to give up your life and follow me?
  • Are you more interested in my name than your own?
  • Are you willing to trade your comfort for my purposes?
  • Are you going to have difficult conversations and speak the truth even when it will hurt?

God has questions for all of us. What questions does he have for you?

How do you respond?

So often, our response is just like that of the man beside the pool. We list the evidence that we believe answers Jesus’ question. As I look at my questions I want to answer the following:

God, I’ve moved away from my hometown to a busy city to follow you. I work hard to provide for my family. I give my time serving causes that bear your name. I teach a class. I talk to people about you. Can’t you see that I really do want to follow you?

But Jesus doesn’t want my resume. He doesn’t want a list of my accomplishments or great things I’ve done. Actually, to him they are like filthy rags. He wants to know if I want to be well — today. He wants to know if I will accept HIS answer for wholeness, not my own.

Today, I want to challenge you to think of the answers that you would give to Jesus’ question, “Do you want to be well?” Once you’ve listed all of the proof that you want to be well, throw all those answers from the past away.

Answer Jesus by saying “Yes!” Commit your life to him daily. Seek Him through his Word. Talk to him in prayer. Listen and obey moment-by-moment.

Tomorrow, when he again asks if you want to be well, forget what you’ve done today and answer “yes” all over again.

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June 26, 2009

Seeking

By Eyvonne

searchingStarting today, I’m beginning a week long media fast.  For a whole week, there will be no:

Facebook.  Twitter. Blogs. Cable News. Internet News.  Talk Radio.  Internet Radio.  Music. NPR. Myspace.  Books.  Movies.  Television.

With the exception of the Bible, and a Bible study I’m currently committed to, the rest is off limits.

My goal is to remove some of the clutter from my mind.  I want to refocus on what is important.  I want to read God’s word like I’ve never seen it before.  I want to hear what He says, not what I’ve been taught.

Now that you think I’ve lost my mind, here’s the backstory . . .

This week, at a denominational convention, I sat in the audience and listened to two different young men as they poured out their hearts from the podium.  What they shared confirmed so much of what I’ve thought, felt, and observed about the modern Christian experience.  I commented on these ideas over a year ago in my Church is Broken post.

The first man has a deep love of the scriptures and the God they reveal.  With power and energy, he exuberantly declared  several psalms from memory leading us all in praise.  He has traveled the world serving others and loving people of all creeds.  He is working to heal a wounded church left heartbroken in the wake of failed leadership.  He is truly a man of God.  But in the midst of all of this he asks, “Do I really believe this book?  Not — do I believe it’s inerrant?  Not — do I believe it’s accurate?  But do I really believe its true?”

He isn’t questioning the reality of God or the sufficiency of Christ, he is questioning his own heart.  Questioning his own desire to follow.  Me too.

The second talked about his love for the church, God’s body on earth.  He talked about the disillusionment he experienced as he lead a ‘thriving’ congregation and the frustration he felt when his successful church didn’t resemble the biblical accounts in Acts.  He talked about leaving the church he founded because he was so troubled by the desparity between his successful church and the Bible.   After serious introspection, he returned to the church he founded with a new commitment to follow the example we see in Acts.  He is now following Christ by loving people in radical way.

A common thread became clear.  Each man is seeking after God.  They don’t want rules or religion.  They don’t want formalities and programs.  They want to know and follow God.  And not just as individuals, but in unity and communion with other people.

I have been deeply challenged.  As I look at my own life and as I look at my relationship with others both inside and outside the church, I know things aren’t as they should be.  But what troubles me most, is that I’ve known this for some time and have done nothing.  I’ve filled my head with so much information, that I have no room left to focus seriously on the only place where the answer can be found, God’s word.  Today, I’ve decided to do something.

In Jeremiah 29:13, God says:

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. (emphasis mine)

Today, I am taking You at Your word. I am seeking.

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June 19, 2009

The Man Who Changed the World

By Eyvonne

dinnerI sat at my table alone — watching.  She was 11, bright-eyed and full of imagination.  Her confidence was soaring.  She was bubbling over with enthusiasm.  She spoke with clarity, passion, and intelligence.

Across the table was her father, completely focused on her every word.  He responded to her ideas.  He probed and prompted more discussion.   She paused and pondered after he spoke, then responded with dancing eyes and expressive hands.  Without a hesitation in her words, she propped her sneaker-clad foot on his knee.  He patted her calf in acknowledgment and continued the conversation.

I was mesmerized.  Neither of them, by themselves, would have been remarkable.  But together, they were thrilling to watch.

He never once looked at a cell phone.  He didn’t check his watch.  He didn’t have a newspaper or a magazine.  He was there.  All there.

In one moment, I saw the answer to all that ails our world.  As I eavesdropped on this family moment, I thought:

  • What if every daughter had a dad who would take her to a Friday lunch?
  • What if every daughter felt comfortable to dream out loud to her dad?
  • What if every dad encouraged those dreams?

At home, I looked at my two bright-eyed children.  I remember the times I’ve responded to their ideas with a single word:

“Really?”

“Uh huh.”

“I see.”

“Wow.”

“That’s great.”

Do I really listen?  Do I really give my children my focused attention?  Not enough.

I remembered the anonymous man who is changing the world.  Today, I will really talk to my kids.

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June 9, 2009

End of the Innocence

By Eyvonne

Yesterday, I had to talk to two little girls about a topic that little girls shouldn’t know about.  It was heartbreaking.

I was reminded again that our world is not clean.  It’s not neat.  It’s not pretty.  Children are sometimes exposed to material that is labeled ‘adult’ when it’s not even fit for grown-ups.

I cuddled a little girl’s tiny frame and listened to her sobs.  She’d seen something that she shouldn’t have.  She knew it was wrong, but the images were still in her head.   They wouldn’t go away.  And as her innocent mind tried to comprehend what she’d seen, her lip quivered.  What had entered through the window of her eyes, bounced around in her mind, and seeped down into her heart — finally leapt out in her behavior.

I wanted to pull out a huge mind eraser (maybe the memory erasing light from ‘Men in Black’) and wipe away the bad things that she never should have seen.  Instead, I held her close and prayed with her.  She said she was sorry; I asked for help. I told her that she couldn’t change what happened, but she can change how she reacts from now on.

For this precious little one, the circumstances that started the chain of events were not her fault, but now they are her problem.

I’m reminded of the children’s song, that is so profound:

Be careful little eyes what you see.

Be careful little eyes what you see.

For the father up above is looking down in love,

O, be careful little eyes what you see.

Let us never forgot that what those little eyes see can forever change how they see their world.

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