365 Reflections

The Book of Proverbs deals quite heavily with the mouth and the instruction continues in Chapter 18.  Proverbs 18:1–2 (ESV) Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire; he breaks out against all sound judgment. 2 A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. Consider the source of foolish speech mentioned in this passage: Isolation. The implication is the more we are isolated the more we are given over to our own ridiculous notions. Humans are communal creatures and our growth comes from a connection to others. So it should be obvious that the opposite of communion will contradict our very humanness. When we are left to our own thoughts trouble begins. Perhaps this is why the post-pandemic mental health crisis is upon us. Lump global isolating lockdowns into an already isolating culture of personal "communication" devices such as phones and what did you expect? We are at this point a global self-isolating community expressing our opinions wi...

Esther 2:1–4 (ESV) After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. 2 Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. 4 And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so. So far, in the book of Esther, for all the pomp, power, glory and authority that Xerxes has going for him, he still largely plays victim to the events of his life and the opinions of those around him. It was his wife that refused him and sent him into a rage, it was his advisors that told him to cast her out and now in chapter 2 it is once again his you...

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. I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:34-37 ESV) Jesus strikes a strong and distinguished court here on the topic of our words and what we say. We are what we say. We translate what we treasure. I think of James who says in chapter 3 of his epistle, "the tongue is a fire a world of unrighteousness." There are many ways we kill the good things God wants to do in our lives simply because we do not put a reign on our tongue.  The power of life and death are in the tongue. In Psalm 19, the poet opens with, "The heavens declare the glory of God"... and...