Speak Life

The bitter words leaped off my tongue and were audible before I had enough energy to restrain them. Once heard, the damage was done. There was nothing I could do to remove the painful sight of seeing my son respond to my affections in tears. Through the lenses of his smudge stained glasses, shame presented itself more clearly that day than I’ve ever seen. My tongue was so piercing that it’s effectual end brought an even greater consequence than had I not spoken a response to him at all.

If you are anything close to ordinary, you too may have found yourself suffering the cost of a sharp and brutal tongue. Though we intend to speak life and hope giving words to our children at all times,  we will suffer from moments of weakness and anxiety ourselves. The goal is not to refuse communicating our emotions while under pressure,  but learning how to offer love and grace in all of our responses, all of the time!

As a mouthpiece from God, the prophet Isaiah foretold of a Lord who would be the stability of our times and the abundance of our Salvation. He proclaimed that He is our wisdom and our knowledge. The Lord’s promise to not break a bruised reed or quench the wick of the faintly burning has never been broken, and should be the source of our inspiration when it comes to how we choose to communicate with others. (Isaiah 33:6, 42:3) God’s reservoir of grace is never-ending and so should our tender mercy towards one another.

A few hundreds of years ago, the great Puritan minister Richard Sibbes wrote “We have this for a foundation truth, that there is more mercy in Christ than sin in us.” Resting our confidence in this is an amazing fact. If God has enough power to release us from our guilt, shame should never be an extension of ourselves. We must simply trust and follow the One who can provide us with peace everlasting.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11: 28-30

Article originally featured at TLSM, The Life of a Single Mom