Defeat of the Tongue

By Max Lucado

Insensitivity makes a wound that heals slowly. If someone hurts your Feelings intentionally you know how to react. You know the source of The pain. But if someone accidentally bruises your soul, it's difficult To know how to respond.

Someone at work criticizes the new boss who also happens to be your Dear friend. "Oh, I'm sorry-I forgot the two of you were so close."

A joke is told at a party about overweight people. You're overweight. You hear the joke. You smile politely while your heart sinks.

What was intended to be a reprimand for a decision or action becomes a Personal attack. "You have a history of poor decisions, John."

Someone chooses to wash your dirty laundry in public. "Sue, is it true That you and Jim are separated?"

Insensitive comments. Thoughts that should have remained thoughts.

Feelings which had no business being expressed.

Opinions carelessly Tossed like a grenade into a crowd.

And if you were to tell the one who Threw these thoughtless darts about the pain they caused, his response Would be "Oh, but I had no intention…I didn't realize you were so Sensitive!" or "I forgot you were here."

Listed under the title of subterfuge is the poison of insensitivity. It's called subterfuge because it's so subtle. Just a slip of theTongue. Just a blank of memory. No one is at fault. No harm done.

Perhaps. And, perhaps not. For as the innocent attackers go on their Way excusing themselves for things done without hurtful intention, a Wounded soul is left in the dust, utterly confused. "If no one intended To hurt me, then why do I hurt so badly?"

God's Word has strong medicine for those who carelessly wag their Tongues:

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on Fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. (James 3:6)

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. (Proverbs 21:23)

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will Come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3)

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is Wise. (Proverbs 10:19)

The message is clear: He who dares to call himself God's ambassador is Not afforded the luxury of idle words. Excuses such as "I didn't know You were here" or "I didn't realize this was so touchy" are shallow When they come from those who claim to be followers and imitators of The Great Physician. We have an added responsibility to guard our Tongues.

These practical steps will purge careless words from your talk.

1. Never tell jokes that slander.

2. Never criticize in public unless you: have already expressed your Disappointment with the other person in private, have already taken Someone with you to discuss the grievance with the person, and are Absolutely convinced that public reprimand is necessary and will be Helpful.

3. Never say anything about anyone in their absence that you wouldn't Say in their presence. Insensitive slurs may be accidental, but they Are not excusable.


"There is death and life in the power of the tongue."

Your encouraging words can lift someone up and help them make it through the day. Your destructive words can cause deep wounds; they may be the weapons that destroy someone's desire to continue trying -- or even their life.

Your destructive, careless word can diminish someone in the eyes of others, destroy their influence and have a lasting impact on the way others respond to them. Be careful what you say. Speak life to (and about) those who cross your path. There is enormous power in words.

Peace - Don't we need it always!

"Peace does not mean to be in a place without noise, without problems, without hard work and without pain. Peace means that despite of being in the midst of all these things we remain calm within our heart. This is the true meaning of peace."

Have you ever experienced Murphy's Law? It is the law that states that anything that can possibly go wrong, does. I've just experienced this, where something went wrong, which led to other things going wrong, and the whole day just seems -- wrong?!

But being a believer, a child of God, we are called to prove this theory wrong. After all, our God is a big God and the God of all things in the world. He also tells that he makes ALL THINGS beautiful. Ecclesiastes 3:11 says, "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

So rest assured -- and strive for the Peace of Christ! Did you also know that peace doesn't just come like "that"? We need to "STRIVE" for peace. Why? Read this article, written by Father Nicolás Schwizer who teaches that we play an active role in building peace on our own lives. He says, "To build peace, one must strive. Only in Heaven will we possess the peace of Christ forever. On earth, it is necessary to build it and to conquer it at every moment. To do this, there must be a struggle."

So let us follow Colossians 3 which says this:

Colossians 3:12-16 - "Put on, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. And over all these put on love, that is, the bond of perfection. And let the peace of Christ control your hearts, the peace into which you were also called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as in all wisdom you teach and admonish one another, singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." [Read full chapter in Colossions 3]


May You find Peace!

A wonderful YAM core team mtg!

Yesterday finally after a long time of serving and doings in church, week in and week out, our youth core team at YAM got together to have dinner at botak jones, then we proceeded to visit Sury's new house, where we shared and catched up with each other and prayed for each other as well as our members. This really got me settled, despite so much work to be done for all the things i've committed to, i know that I don't have to be stressed, and can trust in God.

Just over the last week, I finally did the long awaited major spring (or rather, summer) cleaning of all YAM's files from 2001 to today... (can't believe i'm such a karang-guni). I had kept all the minutes, articles that i've printed and read from the internet, and all those camps programme plans, leaflets, and even brochures of other church's events etc. YES >> KARANG GUNI! And so I threw away half of them, and successfully implanted the other half at SURY's house... there are 2 large bags of them (worth about 6-8 files i think!)

It feels kinda like a lightening of my load, but unfortunately, our dear bro Sury has the task now of going through all of those notes, our YAM history, to see what he wanna absorb and retain... if not, the rest are just paper anyway.. Well, i think it's now time for us to move on and craft a new future ahead!

And so, in the spring cleaning process, it was a major journey for me down memory lane, as I remembered all the planning we did for our camps in 2001, 2002, 2003, etc... I wonder, i was in Uni year 1 then, all the way till now, how did I manage to stick on man! And while some people lament that at 19 years old, they are still "to young" to take on leadership, I just cackle at the thought,... since I joined and started already in that place. It was tough, and I had to learn through being in it right from the start. So... I just wonder, why complain? If you serve, serve God with all your heart... be radical, be bold... you are an instrument of God... (and I recall former years, my prayer to God was simply, make me more confident, coz i was not!)

Through reflecting on my journey "through the years", I can also see, on hindsight, how much growth I've been through. God really brings us through our ups and downs, and in a community, in YAM, there are friends to share the journey. When I am up, I am able to comfort someone who is down, and when I feel down, there is someone to push me on... That is really comforting, no one has to seek God alone. Our journey is made in a community!

Yesterday as we prayed, we had many words/messages for each other. I still feel the 'high' of it today. And i believe it is the same for everyone there as well. Krish, Gav, Jane, Mar, Jac, Sury and me.

The word for me was that if I would lift up my prayers to God with a pure heart and intention, God will see it through. It will be done. Just like Solomon. Read "The Prayer of Solomon" Interestingly, did you know my parents had wanted to name me "solomon" if i came out a boy? lucky i got Samantha though.. whahaahah! And so, I will hold fast to this message, and wait and see. I will seriously wait and see and pray hard upon this...

So the overall message for this post is -- God has great things in store for us! Let us pray, abide in Him, trust in Him, and walk in His ways and He will see us through and lift us up and walk before us each step of the way!

God bless YOU! Jesus is risen!

Pray for Exams

This post is for all our students who are having their exams now.

We pray for you to be strengthened, motivated, and to strive with the best of your abilities, for your exams. We pray God will guide you and keep you safe and in good health!

Gambatte all of you!

Cheers,
Sam