Have you ever heard the idiom, “I put my foot in my mouth”? If you haven’t, it basically describes a situation in which you say something that you regret. Unfortunately, I have put my foot in my mouth too many times and I’ve had to say sorry more than I’d like to admit. Just last night, immediately after the NLF prayer meeting, I was approached by a fellow NLF member, who wanted to talk to me about something in private. Because I don’t know this person all too well, I thought it had something to do with youth ministry. I was wrong.
In a nutshell, he wanted to let me know that he had forgiven me for some hurtful things that I had said to him during a conversation about three years ago. That’s right, three years ago! As he was describing the conversation, I tried to go back and remember but I couldn’t. I had no earthly idea what he was talking about. Yet, he remembered that conversation as if it were yesterday. And for the last three years, because of those careless words of mine, he’s been holding it against me. All I could say in response was, “Thank you for telling me and forgiving me – I am so sorry about that.” He said that confronting me about it was really difficult but that he had to do it, especially because I am now part of the church leadership staff.
The Bible describes the tongue as “a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8) Man, was I reminded of that truth last night! As I grow, I am realizing more and more how important it is to be careful with not only what I say but also how I say it. Never underestimate the power of your words. Let’s not have Nike Breath!
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