Without a Picture

It is hard to describe something without a picture. Especially, in today's society. We are not people that communicate with words of description as much as statements of thoughts. "I see a bird." Verses "I see a brown bird with an orange belly." Or "I see a dark brown bird with a brilliant orange vested belly and splashes of white when it raises it wings."

But, what if you are talking to a person blind from birth?

All of mankind is spritiually blind from birth. Romans 5:12 "Therefore, just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned."

How do you describe to a spiritually blind person, the grace and mercy of God?

The answer - is Romans 5:10,11 "For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."

We have the statement, now we need to paint the picture through our lives, so those who are blind can see.

Mark 8:23-25 (King James Version) "And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees,walking.
After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.

Perhaps we can paint the picture when we allow the Master Painter to guide our hands.

To Speak or not to Speak

"To Speak or not to Speak is the Question"

Now, we all know that there are people who have the propensity to communicate more than others. It is just their nature. The question is whether or not it is from the natural man's desire to be heard or from the spiritual man's desire to impart wisdom into the hearer's ears.

What saith the Scriptures?

James Chapter 3......traditional Heading for this chapter: The Tongue is a Fire. Main verse that speaks it plainly is: James 3:10-12 (The Message) "My friends, this can't go on. A spring doesn't gush fresh water one day and brackish the next, does it? Apple trees don't bear strawberries, do they? Raspberry bushes don't bear apples, do they? You're not going to dip into a polluted mud hole and get a cup of clear, cool water, are you?"

Though this is an extreme vernacular translation, it gives some down to earth examples for us today.

It may be said that most people do not intend to muddy the waters, but it happens. So, what does one do to deal with that natural inclination to speak in to conversation? Stop! Look! Listen! Then pray for wisdom so you will not cloud the issue, but instead bring clarity! Better said than done, but it is the truth.

Proverbs 25:11 (The Message)
"The right word at the right time is like a custom-made piece of jewelry."

If you have time place some comments on this site with Scripture that will help us all...to learn "To Speak or not to Speak"