Monthly Archives: October 2024
“Christian Speech”
“Eph. 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
Foulkes, in his excellent commentary on the Book of Ephesians, writes the following, which I quote at some length:
“29. Now the apostle turns back to consider the Christians’ speech and conversation. Not only are they to shun all that is deceitful, but all ‘bad language’ (NEB). The adjective used in the Greek (sapros) basically means ‘rotten’, and then has a derived sense of ‘worthless’. It is talk that is ‘rotten’ and that ‘spreads rottenness’ (Barry) like bad fruit, worthless and leading others to think on the worthless. To replace this there is to be what can be described plainly and simply as such as is good (cf. Phil. 4:8). RSV for edifying, as fits the occasion, could be literally rendered ‘for edifying of the need’. The particular Greek word chreia in Acts 6:3 speaks of a ‘matter in hand’, and so here we might translate ‘for the edifying of the matter in hand’; ‘words suitable for the occasion’, Phillips aptly turns it. The thought is that of Proverbs 15:23, ‘a word in season, how good it is!’ [Vol 10: Eph, p. 142] (cf. Ecclus. 20:6–7, 19). As with the consideration of work and wages, the Christian standard is lifted above personal expediency, even above the question of moral right or wrong. The test of a person’s use of money is, ‘What am I giving to those in need?’ The test of conversation is not just ‘Am I keeping my words true and pure?’ but ‘Are my words being used to impart grace to those who hear?’ The grace of the Lord’s own words, the love and blessing which they conveyed, is spoken of in Luke 4:22. The utterance of the Christian is to be characterized by the same grace (cf. Col. 3:16; 4:6).”[1]
My own experience with a person whom I know very well (myself) is that Christians need to examine themselves at this point, repent, and do a whole lot better. My words sometimes are designed to wound, whether or not I admit that fact.
And, of course, I have sometimes been on the other side of the equation. I was at a church dinner when someone said, “Anyone who voted for x is either sick or on welfare.” Now, being the mild-mannered and meek person that I am, I piped up and said, “Well, I voted for x, and I am neither sick nor on welfare.”
Comments such as I received make it hard for me to attend church functions. Imagine the effect of such words on unbelievers. I am very much afraid that the main stumbling block that prevents sinners from becoming followers of Christ is Christians and how we speak. Christians are as bad these days as non-Christians when it comes to name-calling and destructive speech. Do we really think that this is justified because (obviously) our side is right?
So, what would happen if we took seriously Ephesians 4:29? What would happen if we sought to build people up with our words? What would happen if our words were consistently gracious? I think it might be time to at least experiment with obeying God’s Word.
[1]Francis Foulkes, Ephesians: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 10 of Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. IVP/Accordance electronic ed. (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1989), 141-142.
“God is in the Details”
“The devil is in the details.” (A general saying, often quoted by lawyers, reporters, and negotiators.)
“God is in the details.” (Me, almost certainly not original.)
“Luke 12:7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Jesus)
God does not micromanage, but God is a God of the details. As I was thinking about my students (many of whom live in Florida) and praying for them this morning, I was greatly comforted by the thought that God knows every one of them by name. God knows where they are and how they are. In fact, God has a detailed understanding of the entire universe.
And then I thought of the saying about the devil being in the details. Why on earth should we recognize the presence of evil, but ignore the presence and wisdom and compassion of God?
Jesus told his followers not to worry. God has a detailed understanding of them. They don’t and we don’t have to understand much. However, we do need to understand that God understands the details of our individual and collective lives.
I don’t have a lot of hair left, but I don’t know precisely how many there are. I don’t know how many days I have left on this planet, either. But God knows. Maybe that is enough.
“Grandma’s Pump”
When I was a little critter, I would stay at my grandma’s house for a night or two sometimes. I liked this for a lot for many reasons. One thing I liked about staying with her was that Grandma’s house was much more technologically advanced than ours was. For one thing, she had indoor water—sort of.
We had running water, if we ran to fetch it from the well or, when the well ran dry, from the pond. Grandma, on the other hand, had a handpump inside her house, just off her kitchen. I was very impressed!
However, in the mornings when we got up, the pump had lost its prime. There was just air in the line, and you couldn’t get a drop of water out of it, no matter how hard you pumped. My grandmother solved this problem in a very simple manner: She had a small bucket with water in it beside the pump. Each evening, she pumped some water into the bucket so that, in the morning, she could pour it down the pump shaft while working the pump handle.
Voila! Water!
I was thinking about Grandma’s pump in connection with a recent phone conversation with a twelve-step friend. We were talking about the importance of how we start our day and how difficult it is to get started on doing the next right thing. Grandma’s pump came to my mind, and a thought-provoking question flowed out of it: What thing or things can I do to prime my pump?
Of course, this question itself is a way of priming of the pump and is useful in all sorts of ways.
- How do I prime my pump spiritually? For me, this involves prayer, the Bible, and meditation.
- How do I prime my pump physical? Two things that I have been doing regularly of late are walking (and a little running or jogging) about 7,000 steps and doing stretches and weights.
- How do I prime my pump mentally? I am trying to learn something new every day. For example, I get a word-of-the day from Anu Garg. Today’s word was “Penelopean”. (No, I’m not telling you what it means. Think about it, try to figure out on your own what it means, and then look it up. You might want to sign up with Anu Garg to get his daily words.) I am also learning a little Spanish.
- How do I prime my pump relationally? For me, this basically means connecting in a positive way with my little dog Laylah, my twelve-step friends, and my wife, Sharon. (No, these are not listed in the order of importance. They are listed in the order of when I encounter this little furry critter and my human posse.)
It would probably be a good idea to make a list in the evening as to how I plan to prime the pump the next day. Grandma needed a bucket. I need a bucket list. Not a bucket list of exotic locations to visit or difficult things to do, just a bucket list of things to prime the pump.[1]
[1] This post was produced without the aid of AI. Hopefully, it was produced with some sort of intelligence.
“Wearing the #14 Wrong-Side-Out”
Pete Rose, #14, is dead. Many of the old guys with whom I play softball watched him play and appreciated him greatly. I do as well. He was one of the greatest players who ever played the game. Yes, he admitted (eventually) to betting on baseball. But many of us still regard him as one of the greatest.
He wasn’t the greatest in terms of size. (I heard that, one time a coach in the minors told him he simply wasn’t big enough to ever make the majors.) Perhaps did not have the most innate talent. But he worked very hard. And I think it’s safe to say that he made the majors.
He was, in many ways, an inspiration to a lot of us. I still run to first base when I get a walk in softball. I have, however, pretty much given up on head-first slides—for now.
Another member of the senior softball league I play in, Wayne, wrote the following:
“My son wore #14 all during select baseball. I told him, ‘If I ever see you not hustle, you will take off your jersey and wear it inside out.’ He never had to do it.”
Now, I call myself a “Christ-follower”. Sometimes, I am more of a “Christ-stumbler”. But I am going to try to find a t-shirt that says something like “Jesus is King”, and every time I think, say, or do something that is un-Christlike, I am taking my personal #14 off and wearing it inside-out for at least an hour. Perhaps I’ll stumble less and follow more closely that way.
“Passing Along the Love (and a Link)”
Several years ago, a friend of mine put me onto a daily meditation by Richard Rohr and friends. I don’t read them all the time, but I probably should. They are good! I thought that today’s writing was especially good, and I also figured that this would be a good way to post something. I get into bad habits (like procrastination) so easily. I also get out of good habits (like posting something every day) equally easily. So, perhaps tomorrow, you’ll get something written by me. God is a God of miracles! Consistency is a daily miracle which I need to cultivate.
So, here is the link. Enjoy!
https://centerforactionandcontemplation.forwardtomyfriend.com/d-ikikdkehl-C1E40D6B-euythjt-l-g
Down to Earth Believer
DOWN TO EARTH BELIEVER
- DTEB, “Getting Christ and Ourselves Back in Focus” November 11, 2024“Col. 3:1 ¶ If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Col. 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Col. 3:3 For you have died, and your life is hidden […]
- “Search Me!” October 27, 2024“Psa. 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! 24 And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24, English Standard Version) I am participating in a Bible study, and this is a prayer […]
- “Christian Speech” October 26, 2024“Eph. 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” Foulkes, in his excellent commentary on the Book of Ephesians, writes the following, which I quote at some length: “29. Now the […]
- “God is in the Details” October 11, 2024“The devil is in the details.” (A general saying, often quoted by lawyers, reporters, and negotiators.) “God is in the details.” (Me, almost certainly not original.) “Luke 12:7 Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows.” (Jesus) God does not micromanage, but God […]
- “Grandma’s Pump” October 8, 2024When I was a little critter, I would stay at my grandma’s house for a night or two sometimes. I liked this for a lot for many reasons. One thing I liked about staying with her was that Grandma’s house was much more technologically advanced than ours was. For one thing, she had indoor water—sort […]
- “Wearing the #14 Wrong-Side-Out” October 5, 2024Pete Rose, #14, is dead. Many of the old guys with whom I play softball watched him play and appreciated him greatly. I do as well. He was one of the greatest players who ever played the game. Yes, he admitted (eventually) to betting on baseball. But many of us still regard him as one […]
- “Passing Along the Love (and a Link)” October 4, 2024Several years ago, a friend of mine put me onto a daily meditation by Richard Rohr and friends. I don’t read them all the time, but I probably should. They are good! I thought that today’s writing was especially good, and I also figured that this would be a good way to post something. I […]
- “Witnessing Versus Being Witnesses” September 19, 2024“Acts 1:1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, Acts 1:2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. Acts 1:3 He presented himself alive to them after […]
- “A Bathroom Prayer for Hurting Hands” September 11, 2024A week ago Sunday, my hands were hurting so badly at church that I went to the bathroom to run hot water over my hands. Arthritis perhaps, or carpal tunnel, or general orneriness—I don’t know why my hands hurt, but they do. They have for years. So, while I was running hot water over my […]
- “Waiting and Seeking” September 10, 2024“Lam. 3:19 ¶ Remember my affliction and my wanderings, the wormwood and the gall! Lam. 3:20 My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me. Lam. 3:21 But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: Lam. 3:22 ¶ The steadfast love of the LORD […]
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