Who Is Listening?

Sometimes it is just plain hard to live in this world. I would venture to say that no one who lives to adulthood has escaped the horrors of being betrayed or rejected by someone we thought was our friend at one time or another. Some live with deep scars and are unable to develop meaningful relationships while others seem to be able to recover and still have confidence in others.

But more disconcerting yet is the fact that most of us have at one time or another betrayed another person. Whether it was purposeful or not does not change the fact that we betrayed them. I wonder if that is why there is so much teaching in the Bible about relationships and how to relate to each other and care for each other.

For the past number of years, these verses in Luke have buzzed around my head causing me to think carefully (at least most of the time) before speaking. “There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear of the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.” Luke 12:2-3

I wonder… what if a loudspeaker on the roof of my house and my car were to broadcast what is coming out of my mouth moment by moment? Would I say what I am about to say? Or would I try to change my words to be more gentle and kind? Would I even say it at all?

Someday, if not now, I will need to give an account of all the words I have spoken and the affect they have had on others. Will it be a good account or will it be a sad account? “But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.” Matthew 12:36

But more than avoiding judgment, how do I choose to use words? “Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 As I ‘hang out’ more with Jesus and begin to imitate Him more and more, as I die to myself and allow His spirit within me to transform me and teach me to love others (whether or not they are ‘loveable’), I pray that gracious and healing words will become more and more a part of my vocabulary and that cutting and harsh words will be removed. I pray that the words I speak, whether out loud or in secret, would be words that would bring healing and hope – even if they were to be broadcast from a loudspeaker on my roof.