Tag: Speak

No Witty Repartee?

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Uncategorized3 Comments

I don’t write to hear myself talk.  I wish the things I did say were grander, more eloquent, more something.  Instead, we just get me.

It’s not that I don’t like what I say.  Sometimes I think I border on greatness.  Sometimes, I think I almost get it right.  I could save every post, not publish anything until I do get it right, but then you would have nothing for a very long time.

So, if I don’t say it great, if I don’t say it right, why do I keep talking?

Often, in discouragement, I do quit talking.  I feel that no one would miss my words, no one would miss me, but that isn’t true.  We often listen to the accuser pointing out each misspoken syllable, every poorly chosen word.

My voice is not the only voice you should listen to.  My heart is not the only one you should feel.  At the end of the day, with all the voices that shout for our attention, I would hope that you hear most the voice of God.  And He speaks so often through His people.

He’s there in the traffic noise, in the bustle of life.  He’s there in the sermons but, also in the touch of our hands, the songs that we sing, the day we live out.

You won’t get it “right” either.  We are flawed, broken people.  What we will say is flawed, broken, too.  But, speak anyway.  Don’t be afraid to speak out, to live out for all to see.  What is seen and heard in our humanity yielded to Jesus is life.  What is revealed is God’s glory.

    

 

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Who are you talking to?

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized1 Comment

The age old argument, turn signals. When to use them, when not?

It seems like it’s a guy thing to use them, sometimes. Ladies lean toward using them all the time, at least that is how it trends in my non-scientific research.

I am on an empty road and need to make a right turn to go home. Turn signal or not. Some say you should, it should be habit. Some say, there is no one there.

Here is my challenge, the reason I am rambling. If we make a habit of communicating when no one is listening, have we done good or harm? If a preacher uses condemnation and guilt to move his congregation but the congregation is asleep, good or bad? The mom that nags, the dad that puts down, you must know that at some point the kids shut you off. No one can take the constant barrage. The hateful teacher, the mean boss, it is only survival to switch off the negativity that flows from them.

The audience, whoever they might be, has a choice. Nuggets of wisdom and life can be found in the most unlikely of places. But, what is lost if we speak to those who can’t hear us?

Maybe it’s time to let God speak in their lives. Maybe it’s time to open our hands, take our will off the table, let others speak for us.

Maybe it’s time to not use the turn signal.

Strangest Thing

On By hawkinsm6In Christian Living, Discipleship, Encouragement, Spiritual, Uncategorized, Worship3 Comments

I left this morning taking my usual route to work.  As I came to an intersection where I needed to turn right, I found myself behind one car and a snow plow.  When the light turned green, the snow plow started to go and then stopped.  He waited for us to go around him and then continued on his way.  I thought, “why when you have the power to clear the path, an engine and traction that make it so that you will not get stuck, do you wait for two little cars to go around you?”

Then it hit me.

I want to write words of encouragement, words of hope and challenge to those who worship our Lord and Savior, my Jesus, my King.  And though you may not feel like it, you are the ones with the power, the spiritual traction to clear the path for others to see Him.  Don’t wait for them to go around, don’t let them lead you.  From the Old Testament and the New, there is a pretty clear directive for us to lead the way, to set the precedents.

I heard Him speaking to me once again.  The gauntlet was thrown down, the flag was raised.  I welcome it.  Let me follow You my Lord.  Let me stand in Your strength.