Listen

Mockingbirds can be noisy birds but I never tire of hearing them.  Their songs vary and are quite interesting.  There is a family of at least three that visit the trees in the backyard. It is fun to pretend what they are saying to each other.  The conversation can be fifteen minutes long. 

Listening to these intriguing conversations made me think about what God hears in our conversations.  Does He listen to noise or beautiful sounds?  Does He like what He hears or is it clutter?  Like a "mocking"bird, do we repeat negative words or do we choose positive, kind words? We choose what sounds or words come out of our mouths.  I do not know how much thought goes into the sounds a bird copies but we are gifted with guides and a brain. 

 

When I am falling asleep at night, I try to have my last thoughts be praise and prayer needs for others. Occassionally, a quick thought or inappropriate word flashes and I quickly ask for forgiveness.  I used to say, "Lord, did You hear that?  Where did that come from?"  Then, I stopped saying that because He naturally can hear it and I really don't want Him to hear inappropriate, negative words.  He is Holy!  So, now I immediately ask for forgiveness. 

 Indeed, we all make many mistakes.

For if we could control our tongues,

we would be perfect and

could also control ourselves in every other way. 

We can make a large horse go wherever we want

by means of a small bit in its mouth.

And a small rudder

makes a huge ship turn

wherever the pilot chooses to go,

even though the winds are strong.

In the same way,

the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches.

But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.

And the tongue is a flame of fire.

People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish,

but no one can tame the tongue.

Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father,

and sometimes it curses those who have been made

in the image of God.

And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth.

Surely, my brothers and sisters,

this is not right! 

But the wisdom from above is first of all pure

...peace loving, gentle at all times...

willing to yield to others...mercy.       

James 3:2 - 6a, 7 - 10, 17  NLT

I love these verses because they are so visual, but the part that I remember is the wisdom that says we praise and curse with the same tongue.  One of my nieces wrote a paper for a college class about cause and effect, specifically about the earthquake in Japan.  It was impressive to see how her prayer life and God's Presence just flowed through her words.  God must have been smiling at what He was hearing.  Just like the beauty of the mockingbird's song, this young lady talked about the fear of waiting to hear from her friend who lives in Japan. Prayer was her choice.  I will copy the sweet sounds of the life around me.