A Lesson Learned…

Two boys.  Agitating each other. One thinks it’s funny.  Other is whiny.  One thing leads to another, one boy cracks other.  Pointy toy,  accidentally ..but bleeding.  From the head.  Makes me freak out, scared to look.  Send culprit upstairs.  Call in daddy, cause I’m too scared to look when I see the part of the toy that caused it.  Yuk.  Frustrated ...I let the banter go on too long.  Ends ugly.  Angry, ugly words spill.  “He was being an idiot!”

Come to my senses.

Scared that boy upstairs may have heard.  His love language is words.  They can hurt him more than anything.    Cut straight to his heart.  After hurt boy calms, I call down culprit, he comes…tears puddling his eyes.. rolling down his cheeks -yes he heard my thoughtlessness, my “quick to anger.”   The funny thing about words, you can’t put them back.  I held him, I asked him to forgive me.  Still, I can’t take back the words.

Proverbs 17:27
The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered

Train me, God, to walk straight; 

      then I'll follow your true path. 

   Put me together, one heart and mind; 

      then, undivided, I'll worship in joyful fear. 

   From the bottom of my heart I thank you, dear Lord; 

      I've never kept secret what you're up to. 

   You've always been great toward me—what love! 

      You snatched me from the brink of disaster! 

   God, these bullies have reared their heads! 

      A gang of thugs is after me— 

      and they don't care a thing about you. 

   But you, O God, are both tender and kind, 

      not easily angered, immense in love, 

      and you never, never quit. 

   So look me in the eye and show kindness, 

      give your servant the strength to go on, 

      save your dear, dear child! 

   Make a show of how much you love me 

      so the bullies who hate me will stand there slack-jawed, 

   As you, God, gently and powerfully 

      put me back on my feet.

Psalm 86:11-17