Friday, April 11, 2014

Find the Right Words

Not only was the Teacher wise, but he also imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. Ecclesiastes 12

I found it interesting that no one knows the identity of the Teacher.  They weren't doing this for any personal gain or glory, they were doing this for God.  They wanted to find the words that would best glorify God.

I am a slow thinker.  Really!  I hated when I was called on in class or put on the spot to answer questions.  I still find it surprising that I enjoyed five years working in the Support department where I answered questions from incoming calls - that was totally God leading me through everything there!  Anyways, I even have a hard time praying out loud because of this.  I like to really think about my words first so I can be sure that I'm saying the right thing.

Two things happened in Bible study last night about this.  First, I was called upon by the group leader to close us out in prayer.  Yes, I probably looked like a deer in headlights at first, but I tried my best to hide my shocked expression and I got through it.  I told my husband when I got home and his first question was, "So what did everyone think?"  My response was, "Well, they all said amen at the end, and they didn't stone me.  So, I think they were ok with it."  I'm working on coming to terms with the idea that there are some times where you don't have to have the right words, just saying what is on your heart is enough.  God doesn't need to hear you say x, y, and z in your prayers.  He wants you to be open and honest with him.

The other thing that happened, was our leader told a story of how she spoke up and stood up for someone that was being harassed by a professor in school.  She said that she wasn't doing it for anyone else, but because she knew it was the right thing by God.  She spoke because she wanted to represent him, and to make sure that others knew that she was an instrument for Jesus.  I advise a college organization, and lately there have been some struggles within the group.  When we have open discussion on those topics, I am often one of the last people to speak.  It isn't because I struggle with what to say, it's because in my head, I keep molding and shaping what I will say right up until I say something.  I realized yesterday that it isn't because I'm trying to present myself in a certain manner, or get them to think a certain way, but because I am a representative of God, and what I say should reflect positively on him.  Jesus is not walking physically in this world, therefore we are called to be like Christ. Everything that comes out of our mouths should be an example of Christ.

Now, granted, I don't have a big survey example here, but I do see a pattern.  When we talk to God, we don't have to try to find "just the right words".  We can speak from the heart and he will hear us.  He'll even hear those things that we didn't say.  When we speak to others, that's when we may need to stop and think about what we're saying.  We need to say something that will be glorifying to God, and not make people question our faith.

To wrap up Ecclesiastes, everything we do should be meaningful and focused toward God.  Anything that doesn't center around God is meaningless.  Even the words that come out of our mouths should be meaningful, and we should strive to always please God with what we say.

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