28 ¶ The heart of the righteous studies how to answer,
But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. ~ Psalm 100:5 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash
Susan surprised me with a wonderful little book this week. It’s called Rose from Brier and was written by Amy Carmichael. She is a marvelous Christian example for all of us, a girl born in Ireland who went as a missionary to the children of India from 1895 to 1951. You would do well to get a copy of this book.
I haven’t finished the book yet because it’s the kind of book you can only read a little bit at a time. But that’s okay because the author says in the introduction that it’s not designed to be read all at once. I’ve found that many of the best devotional books are more like a lozenge than a seven-course meal.
The first chapter offers up an explanation of this transforming thought:
“If thou walk inwardly, thou shalt not weigh flying words.
Let not let thy peace be in the mouths of men.”
That roughly translates, “If your peace depends on what people say about you, you’ll never have any peace.”
When my sons were young teenagers, they went through a macho, competitive phase in which they were always taunting one another and boasting about their great accomplishments. I told them back then that I was pleased to see they were fluent in three languages: 1) Talking junk, 2) Talking trash, and 3) Talking smack. They thought this was funny — probably because they knew it was true.
Sad to say, but adults aren’t immune from producing their share of negative talk. It seems like it’s impossible to do anything positive in this world without having somebody complaining, criticizing, or gossiping about it. Preachers receive their fair share of this kind of criticizing, but nobody is immune.
That’s why today’s quote in its entirety is so powerful:
“If thou walk inwardly, thou shalt not weigh flying words.
Let not let thy peace be in the mouths of men.”
That translates to: “If you live to please God, you won’t pay too much attention to all the snarking that people do about you. If your peace depends on what people say about you, you’ll never have any peace. So, live in Jesus, and you’ll always have peace.”
Think about it. And have a peaceful week.
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and has spent the last 32 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He recently retired after 28 years as a Mississippi public schoolteacher, and is now a stay-at-home-grandpa with his new grandson, Landon Cash. He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in a brick house in town (where Landon is eating Cheerios today.) Their kids include Spencer (age 26), his wife Madeline (age 26), and Seth (23), and his wife Leanne (age 22). You can send him a note at brotherjohn@ilovechurchcamp.com.
