Yesterday our opening discussion was regarding a neighbor our host had, who we’ve already talked about in length previously. This guy has a reputation, not just of being a man of many words (a nice way of saying he’s a talebearer), but also apparently someone who not only thinks so highly of himself, but thinks lowly of others – including our host and his family.
It was all funny at first. We were laughing at how hopeless of a person this was, but it came to a point that the stories my host was saying were too much – they weren’t as funny as we kept delving into it – You can see (1) more of the sad and less of the funny condition of said neighbor, and (2) the impact it apparently still had on our good host.
With that said it was up to our good friends from Google and the OliveTree Bible to point us to these verses:
A worthless man plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire.
A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends.
Proverbs 16:27-28
A worthless person, a wicked man, goes about with crooked speech, winks with his eyes, signals with his feet, points with his finger, with perverted heart devises evil, continually sowing discord; therefore calamity will come upon him suddenly; in a moment he will be broken beyond healing.
Proverb 6:12-15
We said it from the get-go: A man who speaks worthlessness is worthless, and a man who speaks with no sense HAS no sense of his own. I pointed out the obvious – that not only is he a liability to himself now, but we should really pray for him because, well, the Bible warns that there’s a good chance he falls, and falls suddenly. Heaven help him when sudden calamity breaks him beyond healing.
Not that we wish this on him – and, obviously, it’s not to say that we are free from the same fate. I forgot to point out that there’s the very real chance that somewhere else, there are other people gathered in a table talking about how we speak worthlessness and are ourselves worthless, and how we speak nonsense and are therefore lacking in sense.
In our realization, and now in my recall, I’ve realized that from that realization on its own, we’re links on an endless chain that has bound countless people.
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live, loving the LORD your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him, for he is your life and length of days, that you may dwell in the land that the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.”Deuteronomy 30:19-20
I shouldn’t have stopped at saying we should pray for these people: (1) We should also pray for ourselves, and (2) we should also take care to choose life and blessing, that we would also speak life and blessing.
In so doing, may we not stop at recognizing how we’re part of the problem; May we be part of the solution. May we speak life, and not only break away from the chain of death, curse and worthlessness, but also be drawn (as we draw others) to the flow of life, value, and blessings.
Amen.
In a little more than half an hour from now, we’re going to be starting our ministry fellowship session for the younger folks in our congregation. I was tasked to share a small message, and seeing as this is the first time we’ll be doing this, we thought my slot would be a good time for us to present house rules.
Youth Expectations:
Commit to show up, Commit to show up early.
We all have 24 hours a day, and 168 hours in a week. We’re thankful for your commitment to stick with us for an hour, and in respect to that we commit to being early and present, from start to finish. Let’s work together so we can make the most of the time.
Be welcoming to each other.
Some of us have know each other since forever, and some of us have probably seen each other for the first time today. But no matter what the case may be, the common rule is for us to be welcoming to each other – that is, to be respectful of each other.
Now this does not mean that we will always agree with each other on everything. We will even fight – but the name of the game is respect. Courtesy. There’s always a better way for us to say something to each other.
Commit to activities, try not to be ‘cool’ and a killjoy, invest a little dignity in the name of unity. (I obviously added a little more to this)
We understand just as much as you do that you have a lot on your plate. Even at your age, we’re amazed at all the work being given to you guys because it more or less matches the workloads we have! This demands respect.
With that being said, yes, we want to make the most of our time together, but this also means that we want this time to be a time for us – ALL of us – to look forward to; And a hurdle that stands in our way is our own guard. I mean, it’s okay for us to be wary and to be aloof with each other – but eventually, if we find and make value for each other, our prayer is that we let our guard down and, yeah, not just join activities, but actively participate in them.
Approach the leaders for questions, complaints and clarifications.
We respect each others’ time, and we also respect each others’ opinions. In fact, we respect and love you guys to the point that we’d rather tell you what you need to know right away, instead of beating around the bush or stabbing you in the back.
At the same time, we pray also for your respect by way of coming to us directly with your questions, complaints and clarifications.
Take notes and be ready with your own takeaways.
We respect you guys by being present and engaged… and we’re hoping you reciprocate with respect by way of listening and taking it all in.
What’s something in common with all this I had to say? RESPECT. (Find out what it means to me)
In closing, this is what I want all of us to remember, today and for every Friday we will be meeting:
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
Romans 12:10
Let’s celebrate each other in love. Let’s respect each other, by honoring each other above ourselves.
Amen.
So this is what I gathered, and this is what I have ready.
Obviously I’ll keep posting as we go through fellowship after fellowship.
Until the next post, God bless you.
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