A Poem - The Tongue

The child sticks out her tongue;
It is a tease, a taunt.
She does not know the power
That does this organ haunt.

To the tongue belongs the gift
To swallow and to taste.
We take our sustenance in joy
Their savor it does not waste.

To the tongue belongs the skill
Of singing and of speech.
It can encourage and inspire,
Scold, rebuke and teach.

To the tongue belongs power
To kill and make alive;
To crush a spirit viciously
Or, in mercy, to revive.

To the tongue belongs the truth
It also has the knack to lie;
As though water, fresh and salt,
Together could abide.

The tongue that parts the lips
In defiance or in play
Is potent for good and ill;
It curses and it prays.

God Really Wants You to Know

To the Body of Christ at Gloria Dei,

Grace, mercy, and peace in Christ Jesus!

At a meeting of the American Psychological Association, Jack Lipton, a psychologist at Union College, and R. Scott Builione, a graduate student at Columbia University, presented their findings on how members of the various sections of 11 major symphony orchestra perceived each other. The percussionists were viewed as insensitive, unintelligent, and hard-of-hearing, yet fun-loving. String players were seen as arrogant, stuffy, and un-athletic. The orchestra members overwhelmingly chose "loud" as the primary adjective to describe the brass players. Woodwind players seemed to be held in the highest esteem, described as quiet and meticulous, though a bit egotistical. Interesting findings, to say the least! With such widely divergent personalities and perceptions, how could an orchestra ever come together to make such wonderful music? The answer is simple: regardless of how those musicians view each other, they subordinate their feelings and biases to the leadership of the conductor. Under his guidance, they play beautiful music. (Today in the Word, June 22, 1992)

When Paul described the church as the body of Christ, it was clear that Jesus is the head (Ephesians 4:15), and our mind is the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).  It is when we submit to His headship that we have unity and fulfill the purpose for which He called us – that we operate like the symphony in concert. 

How do we know the thoughts of the Head?  How do we know the mind of Christ? 

God’s mind and will are revealed to us in His Word.  The Bible is God speaking to us, communicating His Law and Gospel, revealing His attitude, will, and message.  This is one of the reasons it is so important for us to read (or listen to) our Bibles and hear for ourselves what God has said! 

If that is the case, why don’t all Christians believe the exact same thing?  Why is there so much division within the body of Christ? 

It is because of Sin.  Our sin and pride cause us to take the clear meaning of God’s Word and twist it to fit our own understanding of the world, preconceived notions, and personal preferences.  A good example of this is when Thomas Jefferson cut out all the references to miracles from his Bible, including Jesus’ resurrection.  In his mind these things cannot happen, therefore the text must be wrong.  And when there is not a clear meaning in the passages, people often insert their own opinions instead of drawing from the larger message of the Bible.

How, then, can we be confident that when we read the Bible we won’t, “get it wrong”? 

Faith. 

The Communicator desires to be understood.  God wants us to hear what He says, and wants us to know His mind.  (John 1:18, 1 Timothy 2:4, Romans 10:17)  This is part of why Jesus came, to communicate God’s Word and love to us.  The Spirit still guides us and opens God’s Word and creates faith in us (1 Corinthians 12:3).  Our confidence in reading the Word is not rooted in our ability to understand, but in God’s ability to make Himself known. 

So take up the Bible and read, O Body of Christ!  Know the mind of Jesus, and be strengthened in faith, hope, and love. 

Questions to Ponder

-          How does God speak to us? 

-          Why can we be confident that we can understand God’s Word?

-          When we don’t understand something in the Bible, where can we turn to understand?  

-          What hinders or prevents you from reading the Bible? 

-          “God wants us to hear what He says, and wants us to know His mind.”  Have you ever considered this proposition?  How might this comfort us?  How might it challenge us? 

-          When have you read God’s Word and been comforted?  Challenged?  Confused?  Enlightened? 

Don’t forget that you are invited to join me on a journey through the New Testament!  You can get the readings, read some explanations of the readings, and even ask questions at www.lotrittens.blogspot.com