Wand or Words?

As I sat down in the chair of the beautician a sign jumped out me and frankly scared me. It said, "this is a comb not a wand"! I wanted to ask if the hateful little words were there for everyone or had she just put it out there for me! I guess since my answer to "what do you want done today?" was "make me beautiful" makes me think it was there just for me.

Did you ever wonder why God didn't use a magic wand to create light and dark? Was there even a wiggling of his nose to create zebras, giraffes or coral at the bottom of the sea? Could you imagine stars and planets flying out of a black hat and placing themselves in just the right places? I have just recently thought of how everything that was made was spoken into being. Amazingly, he didn't have to say "I'll get the Angels right on that or somebody send a work order, he simply said "Let there BE" and there WAS! I have read that so many times but I have not let that sink in. Now, here is the incredible thing! He made us in his image and among all the living things he made, he gave us WORDS! He gave us the power of the spoken word. Unfortunately we don't always use our words for good.

The scripture that always makes me uncomfortable is found in James.

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 fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (James 3:9-12 NIV)

I am ashamed to admit it, but I have raised my hands in praise at church only to act like the devil when I got home. Been there? Did I plan it, want it or like it? No, but there it was.... UGLY! The verses in James, at first sight left me pretty discouraged. "can both fresh and salty water come from the same spring?". But Lord, is there no hope for this "old salty spring"? Remember, Lord, I was hungry, tired and he HAD stepped on my last nerve! As I kept reading in the same chapter I read that there can be hope in wisdom.

Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. (James 3:13 NASB)

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. (James 3:17 NASB)

What these scriptures tell me, is that if I seek wisdom from above and pray for good behavior, I can have fewer of these ugly scenes. I claim this promise to be more pure, peaceable, gentle, reasonable full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering and (what I love) without hypocrisy.

It's amazing that God would trust us with words since they can be so powerful but he did not leave us with such a powerful tool without instructions. He wrote a whole book of instructions, the bible. I wonder if he ever wishes he would have given us a wand or better yet a comb.

For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. (Luke 11:10 NASB)


Sent from Jeanie!