Spilling everything with tears over the phone to this particular supervisor, she was silent at the other end of the line. She never interrupted me as I related the hurtful words delivered in front of my face by the medical examiner, as I was being evaluated for my injury that happened years ago.
“Don’t worry about it,” she finally cut-off.
“Just give me the medical note from your doctor,” she added.
The same heart which listened compassionately that day was the same heart that sat next to me and demanded for me to give another medical note, when it was clear that my injury was permanent. The same mouth which uttered the words that sounded like encouraging was the same mouth delivering the message of her intention to end my career.
The words were: “I would be off-duty” starting April 25, 2011.
To her, her statement was ended with a period. But on my part, her statement was ended with a question mark. In God’s perfect time, she and others would need to answer. Not only with their mouths. But to show the true intentions of their hearts. To bring all the hidden lies under His Light.
The tongue....so small of an organ...yet so hard to tame...
“Whoever keeps his mouth and his tongue keeps himself out of trouble.” – Proverbs 21:23 (ESV)
“Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” – Ephesians 4:29 (ESV)
“Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit.” –Psalm 34:13 (ESV)
“For we all stumble in many ways. And if anyone does not stumble in what he says, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle his whole body. If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.”
– James 3:2-10(ESV)
“From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.”
- James 3:10 (ESV)
There is Someone from the beginning Who has never failed to encourage all of us. And it is His Words that I'm clinging to.
