When the Unimportant Becomes Too Important - Martin Wiles

But all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. Mark 4:19 NLT

Sometimes, the unimportant becomes too important.

Marcin Muchalski was taking a morning stroll along the Williamsburg Bridge when a mugger surprised him, took out a gun, and requested his cell phone. Thinking the robber would not shoot him in the middle of the Williamsburg Bridge at seven in the morning, Muchalski dared the robber to pry the gun off his cold, dead hands. The robber obliged by shooting Muchalski in the leg. Instead of handing over the phone, Muchalski limped away as fast as he could with phone in hand. The robber, who had more sense than Muchalski, decided not to chase the man. The phone wasn’t worth a murder charge.

Or take Marie Murphy, a New Jersey teacher who got a call saying her house was on fire. She rushed home, not fearing anyone was in danger. She knew her husband--and her mother, who had been staying with them--was not in the blazing house. So what drove Murphy to run into a blazing house and risk her life? Baseball tickets. More specifically, her season tickets to see the Phillies.

She ignored all her other possessions—even the certificate of fire insurance—to save her tickets. Luckily, she made it out before everything else—the house included—went up in flames. Although she and her husband had to live in a motel for a while after the fire, they were able to settle with the insurance company. Murphy was also surprised at school one day when a Phillies fanatic tossed a bunch of Phillies merchandise to her, including a framed World Series ticket. Perhaps around this time, she thought about how foolish her actions had been, especially when she learned the Phillies would have reprinted her tickets because they burned in a fire.

And then there was Guita Sazan Silverstein. She left her two-year-old son in her car on a hot summer day while shopping. When she returned to her car, she discovered she had locked herself out. With temperatures in the upper 80’s, her child was at risk of heat stroke. She called for help. When the firefighters arrived, they told her they would need to break one of her car windows. Silverstein told them no. After all, the car was an Audi.

Silverstein came up with a compromise. She would drive more than a mile to her home and retrieve her spare keys—even though her son had already been in the car for twenty minutes. After borrowing a car to drive home, firefighters broke the window anyway and rescued the child—who by this time was unresponsive but luckily revivable. When the mother returned, authorities arrested her for reckless endangerment and risk of injury to a minor (source).

I’ve never made the same mistakes as Marcin, Marie, or Guita, but I have made more than my share of other poor choices. And I have let the not-so-important become important on more occasions than I care to mention.

Jesus tells the story of a farmer scattering seeds. The seed fell on various types of soil, some infested with thorns. As the seed sprouted and grew, the thorns choked out the plants. According to Jesus, this represents those who let the worries of life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desire for things distract them. Those who hold too tightly to a cell phone. Those who rush into a burning home for sporting tickets. Or those who let a shopping excursion put a child in danger.

A regular diet of God’s Word reminds us what the thorns of unimportance are. Prayer for strength we don’t have helps us distinguish between the unimportant and the important.

Father, give me wisdom to know the difference between the unimportant and the important.

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Words of Love - Karen Huffaker

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14 NKJV

If we want to know the real story, we sometimes need to listen to a small child.

What children see is what they tell. They may misunderstand or take something out of context, but we’re more likely to get the scoop on what happened—much to the horror of some parents. Children don’t have a filter in their conversations. When they speak innocently, their words tumble out. They haven’t yet learned discernment, good judgment, or discretion.

I am reminded of the old television show, “Kids Say the Darndest Things,” hosted by Art Linkletter. Kids are still learning about truth and wisdom. Aren’t we all? 

Adults can be like this as well. We often speak before we think. Raw emotions can drive our words, and our thoughts may be one-sided. Grownups usually know the better way to communicate about many things but fail to apply their knowledge in conversations.

If we filter our words and thoughts through Jesus, we will more likely speak the truth with love, kindness, gentleness, and patience. And we will reflect the light of Jesus as we go into the world. This is a work in progress for me, and I have a long way to go.

A coffee filter strains out the grounds and other impurities we don’t want in our morning coffee. Likewise, the counsel of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures teach us and help strain out impurities in our minds, hearts, and spirits.

Think of ways to better filter your words so that they exhibit God’s love. 

Tweetable: How can you share words of love? 

Karen Huffaker is a freelance Christian writer. She has taught children’s Sunday school and single mom’s Bible studies and written poetry. She is from the Deep South and loves reading Christian books, devotionals, genealogy adventures, fishing, and all things family. She is also passionate about her grandchildren’s sporting events. 

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Throwback Tuesday - Wise, But in Whose Eyes - Martin Wiles

Wise…But in Whose Eyes

What appears as wisdom to one may very well look like foolishness to another. 

Know-it-all’s. Very few people like hanging around them…me included. I attended college with a few. I was an A student and probably knew as much or more as the majority of my classmates, but I held my tongue and avoided making comments or answering questions when possible. I didn’t want to appear as one of those I diligently avoided. Yet in every class, there was at least one. Always raising their hand to make a comment. Consistently trying to add something to what the professor taught. Proposing a delightful dilemma they thought they alone had figured out. And all with a smirky smile on their face that shouted, “Nanny nanny boo boo, I know more than you.” Read more...

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Less Talk More Wisdom - Martin Wiles

Even fools are thought to be wise when they keep silent; when they keep their mouths shut, they seem intelligent. Proverbs 17:28 NLT 

“It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.” Several have said it in various configurations. 

When I was young, I acted foolishly in a number of ways. One was talking during church. I suppose the church my dad pastored didn’t have a nursery. These were the days when children still cut their teeth on church pews and were taught to remain silent during church. Acting childishly resulted in a trip outside or to a back classroom for a learning lesson applied to the hind quarters. 

My saintly grandmother—who didn’t want her only grandson getting a spanking, brought along a pocketful of Hershey Kisses—or silver bells as I called them. Stuffing my mouth with them for 45 minutes probably wasn’t healthy, but it helped me keep my mouth closed. 

Wise King Solomon had a lot to say about when a person should and should not speak as well as what they should and should not say when they did speak. 

Less talk promotes selflessness. As a youngster—and for some years thereafter, life was about me. Kids are narcissistic; so are some adults. But life isn’t about me. By cutting down on the amount of words I speak, I learn to hear about what’s going on in other’s lives. 

Talking less enables me to actually hear what others are saying. If I’m doing all the talking, the other person doesn’t stand a chance. Nor can I hear them if I’m silent but mulling over in my mind what I’m going to say when they finish talking. That’s called lack of focus—or focusing on the wrong thing. Looking at the person speaking to me helps me listen and digest what they’re sharing. 

Being a person of few words also helps me consider the importance of my words. One of my college professors had an annoying habit of pausing before he answered a question—so much so that I wanted to answer for him. Later, I understand his reasoning. He thought before he spoke—which, by the way, saves me from making many foolish statements.

Listening more than I speak opens up opportunities for me to help others. I truly hear and understand what they’re saying. Then I can speak—and act, with wisdom. 

Are you speaking less so others can talk more?

Prayer: Father, give us wisdom to know when to speak and when to remain silent. 

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