Life and Death...
(Death and life are in the power of the tongue
- Proverbs 18:21)
Once again, I was watching Jon-Jon
(learn
a lot from that boy!) playing
a video game
that was labeled as being for
kids a few
years older than him. It didn't
deter him
for a few reasons that I can
think of. One
is that it didn't matter, he
was having fun
and that with each level he progressed,
the
more fun he was having. Another
was that
no one ever said to him that
he couldn't.
He just jumped right in and played
the game
without giving thought to the
fact that he
shouldn't be able to play! I
am so very glad
I didn't curse him with a "no
Jon, you
can't play that, you're not old
enough!"
Instead we praised his efforts
at how good
he was doing, even if it meant
only a few
seconds playing before the "game
over"
screen appeared. The power of
the tongue
can truly be amazing.
In the weightroom, the power
of the tongue
can be brutal and I just don't
mean the foul
language the flies about. You
see the guy
in the corner over there? Ever
so gently
and quietly he has placed three
wheels on
each side of the bar. He doesn't
want to
draw attention to himself just
in case he
can't lift the weight. He's never
benched
315 before, let alone given it
a shot. It
looks intimidating sitting there
on the bar.
Physically, he is set up to make
the lift.
His muscles are capable, he's
benched 300
for five reps and more but never
tried 315.
The only problem that will arise
this day
that will cause his failure is
that he has
talked himself out of the lift
before he
even sat down on the bench. For
many, 315
is a milestone in the bench press,
followed
by 405 - 4 plates per side. He
quietly looks
around to find a spotter. He
scans the gym
for someone he thinks won't embarrass
him
if he can't make the lift which
only compounds
his impending failure. He gets
his spotter,
gets set to make the lift and...fails.
He
makes it almost to half way up
and says to
himself that the weight is just
too much.
The power of the tongue...
As Christians we are ever so
guilty of this
as well. We set out on a project
full of
vim and vigor and as soon as
we hit those
bumps and roadblocks, we shy
away with comments
like, "it never would have
worked anyway,"
or "it would have worked
if not for...(fill
in the blank here). You get the
picture?
The person who grits their teeth
and weathers
the storm, who "endeavors
to perservere,"
as the old indian said in The Outlaw Josey Wales stated, is what we need. ("Therefore, take up the full armor of
God, that you may be able to
wthstand in
the evil day, and having done
all, to stand.
- Ephesians 6:13). How about cursing something BEFORE you
even begin? GUILTY! Right here!
That's me
with my hand waving madly in
the air. Some
of my quotes have been: "I
can't speak
in public, I can't pray in public,
what if
this or that happens" (always
a negative).
One thing I can't stand now is
when someone
says, "let me be the devils
advocate."
Um, how about NO! We are God's
advocate,
we don't need no stinking devil!
Why do we
need a negative? ("If God is for us, who can be against us?
- Romans 8:31) 'nuff said! Besides, you have the power
of God with you in His written
instruction!
("that the man of God may be complete,
thoroughly equipped for every
good work."
- 2 Timothy 3:17) With that kind of weaponry in your arsenal,
you cannot fail so don't even
speak of it!
Remember the power of the tongue!
And now our prayer. Lord, help
us to focus
on You and Your strength. Help
us to remember
You before we utter a negative
word into
our life or someone elses. Help
us to stand
tall regardless of the circumstances,
always
giving You the glory. In Jesus'
name we pray.
Amen!
Now, go with God and lift that
iron!
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