He was a very big man. A very big stinky man. He was sitting only inches away from me when he said: "I don't know why but I always hurt people." I was beginning to feel very uncomfortable. The Thursday evening Service at His Dwelling Place had just ended. Pastor Ron and I said goodbye to most of the folks as they left. One (very big man) stayed behind and appeared quite distraught. Pastor Ron smiled and said to me: "Well I'm going to go, you can handle this." I smiled (weakly) and said goodbye.
The big man sat next to me. We were sitting on folding chairs only inches apart. The odor emanating from his body was almost overwhelming. He started crying and talked about evil and hurting family members. The butterflies in my stomach turned into swarming locusts. I told him that the only way to make evil flea was to call on Jesus. I said to him: "I plead the Blood of Jesus over you and your family." That calmed him down for a few moments until he started moaning and crying again. He kept talking about hurting people. I kept talking about pleading the Blood of Jesus.
It was getting late and I knew I would have to talk him into leaving. I finally said: "It's getting late and I have to go." We both stood up and headed for the door. I was already beginning to feel relieved knowing that we would part ways momentarily. He paused at the door and then my mouth went into action without my brain giving it instructions. The words that came out of my mouth were: "Would you like a ride?" I still remember trying to suck those words back into my mouth. They hung in the air like a frozen rope as I realized what I had just said. Now I was going to be sitting shoulder to shoulder with this big man in my minivan.
With the big man in the passenger seat, my minivan seem to grow mini-er. He gave me directions as I drove the very dark city streets. It was after 10pm and there weren't many folks strolling on the sidewalks. He didn't say much other than to point and say: "Turn here." My mind raced into fear overdrive. It seemed like he was taking me down streets that became progressively darker with each turn. It all came to an end as he said: "Here, pull over by the tree." The moment had finally arrived, he opened the door and left saying thanks as he closed the door. I was free!
I did sense evil that night and I had the sense to "Plead the Blood of Jesus." Evil will flee at the mention of Jesus Blood because the power of life is in the Blood. The power of death (evil) was defeated at the Cross by the shed Blood of Jesus. Death had no power over the resurrected power of Jesus. I could have changed my circumstances that night with wisdom and discernment. I should have asked Pastor Ron to stay if I sensed danger. Yes, God had my foolish butt covered that night, but I had no business walking out from underneath the umbrella of spiritual discernment. I was foolish to stay alone with this man and even more foolish to drive with him. I've worked city streets long enough to know better, Buffalo is one of the poorest and most violent cities in America. My words were foolish. How do words become foolish?
The fear of insignificance causes people to talk foolishly. People gossip as a form of demonstrating their own superiority over those whom they gossip about. Fear can cause us to say things without thinking. We react to fear instead of wisdom and discernment.
Here is today's Wise Saying from Proverbs 23:9.
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| Words can be like wind and fog on a mountain- dangerous! |
It was getting late and I knew I would have to talk him into leaving. I finally said: "It's getting late and I have to go." We both stood up and headed for the door. I was already beginning to feel relieved knowing that we would part ways momentarily. He paused at the door and then my mouth went into action without my brain giving it instructions. The words that came out of my mouth were: "Would you like a ride?" I still remember trying to suck those words back into my mouth. They hung in the air like a frozen rope as I realized what I had just said. Now I was going to be sitting shoulder to shoulder with this big man in my minivan.
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| Sharks can grow new teeth. Biting words grow new bites, |
I did sense evil that night and I had the sense to "Plead the Blood of Jesus." Evil will flee at the mention of Jesus Blood because the power of life is in the Blood. The power of death (evil) was defeated at the Cross by the shed Blood of Jesus. Death had no power over the resurrected power of Jesus. I could have changed my circumstances that night with wisdom and discernment. I should have asked Pastor Ron to stay if I sensed danger. Yes, God had my foolish butt covered that night, but I had no business walking out from underneath the umbrella of spiritual discernment. I was foolish to stay alone with this man and even more foolish to drive with him. I've worked city streets long enough to know better, Buffalo is one of the poorest and most violent cities in America. My words were foolish. How do words become foolish?
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Gossip should be left on the beach
and washed away by the waves.
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The fear of insignificance causes people to talk foolishly. People gossip as a form of demonstrating their own superiority over those whom they gossip about. Fear can cause us to say things without thinking. We react to fear instead of wisdom and discernment.
Here is today's Wise Saying from Proverbs 23:9.
Proverbs 23:9
King James Version (KJV)
9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words.
9 Speak not in the ears of a [self-confident] fool, for he will despise the [godly] Wisdom of your words.
for they will scorn your prudent words.
Proverbs 23:9
The Message (MSG)
9 Don’t bother talking sense to fools;
they’ll only poke fun at your words.
they’ll only poke fun at your words.
Proverbs 23:9
Amplified Bible (AMP)
Proverbs 23:9
New International Version (NIV)
Saying 10
9 Do not speak to fools,for they will scorn your prudent words.
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"I had a
dream!"
Your dream may be ridiculed by fools.
Hang out with
people who believe in you. |
There is a sign in our Youth Center that says: "Positive words only are spoken, negative words make people feel broken." Fools generally find a way to belittle your words and your life. My Dad had a favorite saying: "I know a guy who lived to be 101, he minded his own business!" I think Dad was saying; "If you don't like what I'm saying, that's okay, don't put me down." Many inventions on the world were scorned by many people when they were in the planning stage. Fear causes people to lack faith in new ideas and then speak negatively about a possible new creation.
Do you hang around negative or
positive people?
Do words of negativity or positivity
flow from your heart?
Thanks for your time. Go do something nice for somebody.
Jesus loves you and so do we.
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