Christian Devotionals and Scripture Applied to Everyday Life

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.

My mind is haunted with memories from this past weekend. Luke, Abigail, Dad and I participated in our town’s opera house production of Broadway Tonight, a musical revue produced by members of our small village and several adjacent communities. We had so much fun meeting new people, reconnecting with others, and being part of a fantastic show that everyone enjoyed immensely.

I smiled as she slowly approached the auction check-in table and asked for a bidder number. Her curly, silver hair framed a sweet, wrinkled face. Reaching a well-manicured hand into her purse, she grabbed her wallet and passed me her ID. Glancing at the photo on the plastic to verify the information and image, my eyes widened and I did a double take. Instead of handing me her driver’s license, this elderly lady had handed me her conceal and carry card.