Pure Refreshment 2.07 -> Unknown Conversations

One doesn't have to look too far to notice that change is a constant, if not necessary, part of life in the 21^st century. To think that the 8-track player my parents owned while I was growing up has been rendered obsolete by the ability to download songs from a personal computer. To think that the encyclopedia sets found in school gather dust while history is recorded (often in real time) on the Internet for all to see and discuss. To think that the concept of using a road map and asking for directions would be replaced by personal navigation systems (complete with voice assistance) located in the car itself.

Last Christmas, I received a Bluetooth handsfree kit for my cell phone (mainly because I think driving with a phone in one hand and holding a conversation is a safety risk at best). Within a few months, I was pretty adept at using it—or so I thought. While at a friend's house for dinner, I was informed that I made a call to their house at 7:20 that morning. I denied this, noting that I was driving to work at the time. But after checking the list of called numbers, there it was—a call to their house at 7:20.

It didn't make sense.

Until they told me there was music playing in the background.

It turned out that I had called their house the night before, asking if our family needed to bring anything for the dinner. I didn't have my Bluetooth on that day in the car, but kept it my pocket instead. Somehow, I accidentally bumped it, causing the phone to redial the last number I called—in this case, my friends. I was quite embarrassed.

Since then, I have had this situation (unfortunately) occur on a number of other occasions. But I've wondered to myself, What did these people hear me say (if anything) when they answered the call? What kind of example was I unknowingly providing?

The words we use—in writing, in speaking, in typing—are extremely powerful. They have the ability to encourage and comfort. They also have the ability to wound and destroy. When added to a person's tone of voice, gestures, and/or actions, those words can become seared into a person's mind. Considering this, it follows that those who claim Jesus as Forgiver and Leader have a higher standard to uphold on a 24/7/365/life basis.

It needs to be upheld when nobody's around.

It needs to be upheld when we're among a large group of people.

How do we do such a thing? Well, it's important to know that words were never intended for evil by God. Otherwise, I'm sure Adam and Eve's relationship before they ate the fruit would have displayed an element of contentiousness. But alas, the fruit was eaten (see Genesis 3:1-7). And in that moment, words became tools used by humans for both good and evil, a trend that continues to this second. This realization is what caused James to make an incredibly astute statement about the tongue:

A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything—or destroy it! It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell. (James 3:5-6 [The Message])

The fire alert level in life is always high, so we should do our best to put out fires with our words instead of using them as matches.

Earlier, James stated that "if you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you'd have a perfect person, in perfect control of life" (James 3:2 [The Message]). This is why it's good to be reminded of Jesus' example, since he embodied this verse to the core. Even when times were tough, when people mistreated him, when physically broken, he refused to start fires.

But reminders are just that: reminders. To put something into practice, it takes practice. So in the situations we face daily, we must constantly place our hearts on guard. The reason for this, found in the Bible, is that the words we say come from the overflow of our hearts (see Luke 6:44-45). Sometimes not saying anything says a lot. At others, a well-chosen word or words can have a powerful, even life-changing, impact.

In addition, this guarding of the heart is critical because we don't get a chance to fully retract the words we say once they leave our mouth. We also cannot control the damage they may cause if taken incorrectly, even if intended for good. We might be able to apologize if we hurt someone, but the scars can remain and even cause a person to think less of Jesus due to our affiliation with him.

We are unable to do this on our own. This is why we need God's help and assistance in the words we say and our reactions to the situations we face. We don't always get hours to plan our responses or edit them into something more suitable.

And we never know who might be listening in (even accidentally). Our words make more of a difference than any of us realize.

So, what are your words like? Are you setting forest fires or seeking to put them out? If you had a Bluetooth that had been turned on unintentionally, would your words prove to have a positive effect for the other person listening in? What will you do today?

I pray that you would listen to the creator of all words (and that you would pray for me in this as well). And as God refreshes you, may you in turn refresh others.

"All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be."
--James 3:8-10 (NIV)

"Jesus was killed for His words, He would not have been crucified if He had kept quiet." --Oswald Chambers

Pure Refreshment 2.06 -> Waving the White Flag

Before I begin, I want to let you know the reason for the recent delay in Pure Refreshment. Our family has been busy packing up our belongings and moving to a new residence. Now that things have returned to normal, subsequent editions will return to a biweekly schedule. In addition, I will be offering a more media-centric approach to the topics shared (you'll see some of this below). Thank you for your encouragement, prayers, and understanding as we continue forward.

One of the gifts I received on my birthday this year was a DVD featuring the comic hijinks of Tom and Jerry, a cat and mouse duo. As I sat with my daughter and watched a few of the cartoons, one caught my attention. Entitled "The Little Orphan," it added a new character to the mix in the form of Nibbles, an orphan mouse Jerry is asked to take care of over Thanksgiving. Nibbles has a voracious appetite and begins chowing down on the feast before Tom arrives and attempts to catch the two mice. Slapstick humor ensues, culminating with an attack on Tom that leaves him buried underneath a cabinet of dishes. A few moments pass, then Tom waves his tail (with a white flag attached) in the air, displaying the international symbol of surrender. In the end, the three stop their fighting and enjoy Thanksgiving dinner together.

Let's face it: surrendering is not easy to do. It's one thing to talk about doing it; it's another to put actions to our words. Yet this concept is something that God desires in those he created, loved, and gave up his life for (in other words, all of us). So what does surrender look like? What does it take for us to get to a point of actually doing it? And how can we tell that we're really giving up?

These are good questions that deserve good answers.

And there's no better place to begin than with one of Jesus' most famous parables.

The parable of the prodigal son gives us a good look at the meaning of surrender. To briefly paraphrase the story (read it here), a father had two sons and the younger decided to ask for his inheritance early, ignoring tradition in the process. Surprisingly, the father granted his request, and the young man set off for a life of partying and promiscuity. When the money had run out, a severe famine hit the land he was in. Not having any money left, he was in deep trouble. Needing to simply survive, he offered his services to a farmer in the area, who promptly sent him to feed pigs. Not only was the job incredibly degrading for a Jew (pigs were considered unclean), he was so hungry that he longed to eat what the pigs were eating. Truly, this guy had hit rock bottom; he was broken and had nowhere to go.

Or did he?

Jesus defines the concept of surrender in the next six words of the story: "When he came to his senses" (see Luke 15:37). This means that the younger son had to completely give up, acknowledging that his choices were wrong and that a better way existed. That "better way" was possibly at his old house. Even though he had done seemingly irreversible damage to the relationship he had with his father, he believed even being a servant in his father's house was better than feeding pigs day in and day out. Despite the son's objections, the story concludes happily as the father celebrates his son's safe return.

In today's society, God wants all people to know him as Forgiver and Leader. For many people, this comes in the form of an experience similar to that of the young son:

· There is a deep-seated conviction that the choices a person has made in life have led them away from God.

· There is a sincere belief that a better way exists (in this case, the death and return to life of Jesus) than the path they are currently on.

· There is a real and absolute "I give up; I cannot handle this anymore" moment.

· There is a conscious choice to give God control, relinquishing one's hold on things.

· There is a constant commitment not to return to the former choices, making costly adjustments to safeguard them from happening again.

Then, and only then, has real surrender taken place.

Just because a person already knows Jesus as Forgiver and Leader does not mean that they will never have to surrender again. It sure would be nice, but we have a tendency to return to the struggles we faced in the past, often without too much difficulty. To safeguard against this, the last point above must become an integral part of the Christian's lifestyle.

What gets in the way for many of us involves a number of factors such as pride, knowing what to do yet not doing it, having to face the consequences of our past actions, and simply liking life at the bottom of the pit (yes, some of us enjoy wallowing in our struggles and difficulties). Yet to the one who asks God for help, he abundantly provides. One Psalm says the following:

"I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along. He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord" ( Psalm 40:1-3 [NLT]).

How do you define the word "surrender"? Are there any areas of your life (maybe your entire life) that you need to wave a white flag, much like Tom did in the cartoon, and give up control to God? Will you do it today and not put it off?

My prayer is that you would listen to what God is telling you to do and then respond. I'll be praying for you as you do. And as God refreshes you, may you in turn refresh others.

"If anyone boasts, "I love God," and goes right on hating his brother or sister, thinking nothing of it, he is a liar. If he won't love the person he can see, how can he love the God he can't see? The command we have from Christ is blunt: Loving God includes loving people. You've got to love both."
--1 John 4:20-21 (The Message)

"The tendency is strong to say, 'God won't be so stern as to expect me to give up that!' but He will; 'He won't expect me to walk in the light so that I have nothing to hide' but He will; 'He won't expect me to draw on His grace for everything' but He will."
--Oswald Chambers