Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

You miss a lot of things while you are sleeping. I should know because inevitably I sink into a deep slumber every time our family sits down to watch a movie. I can’t even count the number of half movies I have watched. But ask me how the desperate crisis or thrilling romance ended and I couldn’t tell you. The plot thickened, the climax came . . . and I was dead to the world on the couch.

I couldn’t stand it any longer! Our beautiful big barn, which has been the home of many parties, picnics, and square dances, had fallen into a state of utter filthiness. Birds had found refuge in the rafters and white streaked evidence marked their roosts. The whole floor was obviously the scene of their paint ball game as splotches of color stretched from wall to wall. Other intruders also decided to join in as mice scavenged for leftover food and pillaged Sonny’s old saddle blanket. Even a snake made the backside of a Rubbermaid storage container his refuge. Yuck!!!

These are some of the words that we often hear in a traditional wedding ceremony. Last Saturday these vows were spoken at our church by a young couple starting their lives together. The words were still ringing in my mind Monday morning while standing at our office copy machine. I ran a bill of sale for an automobile sold at an auction through the machine and when I grabbed the copy I happened to notice the verbiage on the receipt.

The air was damp and sticky as I began the final stretch of my early morning walk. The warmth of the bedroom had wakened me in the wee hours, and after tossing and turning for what seemed like an eternity, I had ventured out to greet the day. Lost in thought I rounded the curve and headed back towards the house. Suddenly, a rapid, hollow tapping broke the stillness of the morning. The sound reverberated through the air like a popgun firing in close proximity.

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Whoever came up with this saying was not thinking clearly. While physical attack is very harmful, vicious words can also produce much pain and devastation. In fact, words are often a tool of the devil.

Have you ever noticed how one word of encouragement can keep you going even in the toughest of circumstances? Recently someone gave me a compliment in passing. I do not think she considered what she said as something important. It was just a random thought that she expressed and probably never thought about again. Yet for me, the words were life giving. I replayed them over and over in my mind like a gerbil exercising on his wheel. I figured that maybe I was doing okay despite previous doubts of my capability.