SCRIP-BITS

Oh Friends, a brilliant new day has risen, please rise with it and exhibit a sense of joy, wonder, peace and contentment, for there are many who did not rise this morning, and will not rise again until Christ returns, who are envious of your good fortune and will gladly trade places with you. That reminds me of a story about Maya Angelou that I recently read in the Newsletter of Real Estate Agent Gary Sullivan. Now isn’t it amazing that these Newsletters have much more useful information than just properties for sale? The on-the-ball Agents realize that their clients are not only interested in their wares, but also any useful info they can share. These Newsletters show up regularly in my mail-box, and I’m certainly reading them these days, as some of my Bits will attest to. Anyway, it seems that Maya learned a very valuable lesson re complaining at a young age, growing up in rural Arkansas, where her grandmother operated a store. The grandmother would call Maya into the store anytime this particular whiner came in, and would ask him pointed questions so that he could voice his sour opinions, and he would always oblige. One day, after the customer left, the grandmother candidly informed Maya: ‘There are people who went to sleep last night. They may have been poor or rich or white or black, but they will never wake up again. And now those folks would give anything for five minutes of this weather or ten more minutes of ploughing. So you just watch yourself about complaining.’ And all God’s people said a loud and hearty ‘Amen!’ (smile) It seems that Maya learned the lesson re complaining, for she later declared: ‘What you’re supposed to do when you don’t like a thing is change it. If you can’t change it, change the way you think about it.’ And all God’s people said another loud and hearty ‘Amen!’ Why? Because that’s gospel! Ah mih people, there are lots of things we don’t like, some we can change, but not others. For those we ought to stop complaining about them, which is exceedingly difficult in this day and age since our society is possibly the biggest whiners and complainers ever, where we feel as though we’re entitled to everything without even breaking a sweat, and instead change our thinking about them. – all with God’s help of course, since we can do nothing without Him. That brings us to our Bit: ‘Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.’ Yes Friends, those are also words of gospel truth! If we want others to come to Christ, we can’t afford to be always complaining, whining, bad-mouthing people and generally using negative language for Christianity is a positive, action oriented movement. We can’t say we believe, then in the next breath utter faithless, hopeless comments. According to our Bit, foul language that grieves the Holy Spirit should be replaced by gracious, LOVING, helpful words that will teach and encourage the listener. And on that subject I can testify because I was a ‘cuss-bird’ when I was much younger. Now, not all of my language was foul, but definitely too much of it. Over the years I’ve mellowed, until now I can’t even call it a vice. As I’ve grown in faith and knowledge of the Word, with God’s help, that kind of language has gradually diminished. Unfortunately it hasn’t totally disappeared, for when I get real angry, thankfully that’s not too often these days, I can still let loose some beautiful deleted expletives. (smile) On this topic there’s another important thing that we’ve got to be very careful about; that’s the people we hang out with, our supposed friends, for if they are negative, complaining and foul mouthed, then you will most likely end up the same way. I can also personally testify to that. Growing up in Tobago, I had a friend and when we were together, we’d curse a lot. However, when I went to Trinidad on holiday, the group I hung out with didn’t curse, and neither did I. But on the few occasions when my friend came to Trinidad at the same time, I’d find myself cursing again with him. It makes me recall the many times my old mother Molls warned me about certain friends I hung out with, and sometimes she allowed the leather belt to do the talking. (smile) That’s why the Good Book makes it crystal clear, that if you spare the rod, you’ll spoil the child. (Prov.13:24) And to show how God is so amazing and moves in such mysterious ways, I understand that later on in life, this particular friend became a preacher, and here I am now, writing on the Word of God. Who says He isn’t an awesome and wise God eh, and uses the most unlikely ones to do His best work?  Ah mih people, our God is such a wonderful Deity, but sadly we don’t appreciate Him half as much as we should. Though we know all the excellent points about Him, we still foolishly allow Beelzebub to lead us astray with all the earthly trash that glitters and glows and rots. Remember Friends, just like I paid a price when I didn’t listen to my mother’s warnings, we all going to pay extremely high prices if we continue to disobey God. And it’s not me that says so, but His infallible Word. So please take the warning seriously. More on this tomorrow, if He sees fit to continue the breath of life in us. Till then, please be wise and tread God’s narrow path and not Lucifer’s broad, sinful highway. Much LOVE!…to know what is right…and still do wrong…is one of the most deadly sins…