Random Thoughts 301

When life is filled with lack, hurt, disappointment, division, sadness, bitterness and all the other things that seem to hold us down consider with me a possible reason.

In Matthew 15:11 Jesus says “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that’s what defile them.” Then later in vs. 18 He says “..the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart”.

Could it be an attitude problem? Could it be that what we focus on within ourselves is what falls out of our mouth? Could it be that what falls out of our mouth effects our lives? God’s word seems to be saying just that.

Thankfully He also gives solutions. In Ephesians 4:22-24 He explains that we can put off old attitudes and that our attitudes can be made new. That we can actually put on a “new self”. Earlier in vs’s. 11-14 He tells us a way to do this when He says “..Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip His people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching..”. Studying the new testament (the apostles) and the old testament (the prophets) and finding people true to the Word of God (evangelists, pastors and teachers {see Acts 17:11}) to speak into our lives.

Another solution is given in Luke 19. Jesus is teaching about trustworthiness in the parable of the mina. In the story a very rich man is made a king and goes out of town for an extended trip to secure his crown. While he’s gone he’s left three guys in charge of a little money. This was apparently a test because when the king returned he asked these guys how they’d employed the money. The first two guys increased the amount and the king said that since they had been trustworthy with the little given them they were rewarded with governorships. The third guy sat on what was given him out of fear. He was afraid the king would be angry and hurt him, and the king was angry. He was angry that he was judged unfairly and that this guy didn’t even put the money in a bank to at least earn interest. The money given him was taken away and given to the guy who had produced the most. The kings final statement in this parable about the money is “..I tell you that everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what they have will be taken away.” The first two saw what they had, put it to use and were given more.

Do we see what we have or do we give our attention to what we lack? Do we celebrate and give thanks for the burger or do we curse the lack of frys. Do we give thanks for the roof over our heads or do we complain about cleaning the house? Do we give thanks for a paycheck or do we gripe about our job? Do we give thanks for the strength to do that job or do we complain about the sore muscles when the job is over. Do we celibrate the people God has brought into our lives or do we complain about their idiosyncrasies and that they may not do things the way we do them? It says here that when we’re focused on our lack it’s because of fear and when we focus on what we don’t have even what we do have will be taken away. And why not? It wasn’t appreciated so God will give it to someone else. Think we can be thankful for part and still give time to what you don’t have? James says in .3:9-11 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters this should not be. Can both freshwater and saltwater flow from the same spring?”

Of course He doesn’t say we should ask for the things we want and need and He will provide a miracle when He sees fit. He also gives clear instructions on how to ask and this is one of the many proofs that the bible was not written by humans because this is completely contrary to anything we could think up. After all it says in 1 Corinthians 1:25 that “..the foolishness of God is wiser that human wisdom..”.