Why I'm Watching My Words Like A Hawk
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I've come face to face with the fact that I watch my children more carefully than I watch my words.
Not a pretty fact to face.
I watch what they eat.
I make sure they're kept out of danger's reach.
I watch for their little souls that they aren't partaking in things that could damage them.
Bottom line: I watch them like the momma hawk that I am.
A couple of weeks ago, my friend Kelli asked me to join her for a challenge as an accountability partner. The task: to cut out negative talk about ourselves and if something bad is uttered to replace it with a positive.
I failed. Miserably.
I'm ashamed at how awful my self talk is. Of course it's been there all along but who's noticing when it's just part of the routine?
Most days I felt like a grumbling, mumbling old lady griping about everything under the sun that had to do with me. Why do I excuse such behavior? If it was any one else I'd be appalled.
It's crazy how our speech can betray us...and locate us.
While Jesus was being tried, Peter tried to slip quietly into the background and act like he didn't know who Jesus was. But people knew who Peter was because of his accent. He could deny being a disciple all he wanted, but his words gave him away.
My words give me away too. My speech locates me every single time. Sure, I tell people: I love Jesus. I'm a believer. I have faith in the Almighty One.
But my words tell the truth. I think God is a liar.
I say the Jesus doesn't love me but He says that nothing separates me from His love.
I say nothing is working right in my life while He says all things work together for good for those who love Him.
He says I am fearfully and wonderfully made but I negate that truth by saying the exact opposite.
Nothing like thinking you're in one place and then you look on the GPS and see you're not where you're supposed to be. Nothing locates us like our speech.
We quote scriptures and affirmations. Then we turn around and cuss and talk rough with people. We go to church and clean up nice but we gossip and backbite. We encourage and pray for people and then turn around and sing the latest mainstream song with lyrics that we know are not right. Our words are going to give us away no matter what we do.
No wonder the psalmist prayed: "set guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips." Watching my words is really something I must get under control for I know my very life depends on it. If the universe was framed by God's spoken word, how much more is my world framed by mine. I can live in a big world or a small world based on the words I use.
Maybe you don't have an issue with negative talk, but might there be some words you need to watch? Change your words and change your world.