Frog in the Buttermilk

Living with the Frogs

This week I was reading a wonderful book on marriage counseling, and the author presented an illustration that began “two frogs fell into a vat of buttermilk.” The frogs were frantic and they splashed and churned trying desperately to get out. The conclusion of the illustration came when the exhausted frogs gave up their struggle and prepared to sink down into the vat and go to froggy heaven. Only then did they realize their frantic efforts had produced a huge island of butter that became their salvation. The author’s point was couples often need to relax and quit struggling and the solution will become evident. My problem was my imagination. “How did two frogs fall into a vat of buttermilk in the first place?”

It’s very much like the illustration of the frog in the kettle. I am told that if you place a frog in a pot of water and turn up the heat slowly, the water will boil and the frog will never jump out. In other words, subtle, apparently harmless little changes can lead to disastrous results. But again, my imagination asks, “What kind of sick, twisted person would boil a live frog in the first place?”

Of course most people could care less about frogs. They are great at catching bugs and make great cartoon characters, but, unlike dogs and cats, you rarely find one in your bed unless you were an Egyptian. Do you remember the second plague (Exodus 8:1-4)?

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. But if you refuse to let them go, behold, I will plague all your country with frogs.  The Nile shall swarm with frogs that shall come up into your house and into your bedroom and on your bed and into the houses of your servants and your people, and into your ovens and your kneading bowls.  The frogs shall come up on you and on your people and on all your servants.” ’ ”

And they did! The frogs were everywhere: in their bread bowls; in their beds — everywhere! Pharaoh repented and begged Moses to put an end to the plague of frogs. Then something surprising happened. When Moses asked, “When?” Pharaoh said, “Tomorrow” (v. 10). Why wouldn’t Pharaoh (who was probably standing in the middle of a swarm of frogs) shout “Now! I want those dreadful amphibians out of here now!” But he didn’t. Why?

It is a strange quirk of human nature that we often delay salvation. “I’ll just take one more drink and then I’ll start attending meetings.” “This is my last cigarette.” “This is the last time I will __________.”

Herod Antipas, “the fox,” use to spend time talking with John the Baptist. “Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly puzzled, yet he liked to listen to him,” (Mark 6:20).

Are we the same? Do we enjoy dabbling in religion, filled with good intentions, but never quite able to commit? Don’t spend another day “living with the frogs”!

 

The Abundant Life

Last weekend Jan “kidnapped” me away to Julian, California (and not just because apple is my favorite kind of pie). We had a wonderful time, ate too much and enjoyed bird watching. Julian is a bird watcher’s paradise and we were richly rewarded.

On Monday it was time to come home but rather than follow the direct path back through Ramona or even the scenic route through Alpine, we decided to head home via Temecula. It was a beautiful day for a drive. The road took us through Warner Springs and to the little airport. The runway was lined with sailplanes (gliders).

The memories came flooding back as we pulled over and watched. When I obeyed the Gospel at age 14, my friends were completely underwhelmed. “Christians are boring,” was the general sentiment. “You can’t do anything. You can’t have any fun.” Their logic bothered me. First, I never understood how making foolish choices like getting stoned in an old van after the football game could be classified as “fun” and second, I was sure they had never met the Jesus I knew. Jesus said, “I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” (John 10:10).

Of course there are Christians who are playing the “waiting game.” They endure this life with firm resolution while they wait for joy in heaven to come. Likewise, I know Christians who are trying to convince themselves that being miserable is in fact fun and they are actively trying to spread their miserable gospel to everyone. On the other hand I see the true Gospel as liberating. I truly believe this is my Father’s world and I want to satiate myself with Life. I want to be truly alive. I do not believe in spectator life anymore than I believe in spectator Christianity.

So the week I obeyed the gospel I started on a quest. I took on two paper routes and found a job working at a local pasture/airport. On the weekends we pinned up the cows and used the field for towing gliders and making parachute jumps. My job was to hook up the lines from the tow planes to the sailplanes and then run along holding up the wing of the glider until it was going fast enough to balance on its one wheel. I did all this in exchange for flying lessons at the end of the day.

Later that fall, the instructor stepped out of the sailplane and before I had time to think about it, I was bounding down the runway behind the tow plane all by myself. It was way too quiet up there without the instructor shouting at me from the backseat but there I was, high above and watching the world spread out below.

I went on to have many other adventures — mountain-climbing, sailing, scuba diving, skiing – the list is 43 years long and I only truly regret the year I devoted to playing golf. (Missing a putt can nearly cost you your soul!)

Jan and I watched the planes taking off and landing. Then she smiled, handed me the leather flying jacket she bought me for Christmas and I found myself strapped into the front seat of a Schweizer 2-32 (the same type of sailplane I soloed in more than four decades before). Left, right, then left again, we were wagging the rudder to signal the tow plane we were ready to go. Before I had time to think about it, we were airborne. I was a kid again but some things never change: this is still my Father’s world!

The Ending of the Gospel of Mark

A Mystery

The conclusion to Mark’s Gospel is a mystery. Any modern English translation calls attention to this fact. Most have a line between verses 8 and 9 separating the ending from the rest of the book. The old Greek Bible scholar, A.T. Robertson calls this “the most important variant reading in the whole New Testament.”[i]

What is a “Textual Variant”?

Before the invention of the printing press, books were laboriously copied by hand. Sometimes professional scribes did this but often, poor Christians who just wanted their own copies of God’s Word, made them. As copies were made of copies some “errors” (variances) crept into the text. Words were spelled differently; more commonly known words (and more familiar quotations from other gospels) were substituted for unfamiliar ones. Sometimes, in an effort to “mass produce” Bibles, one person would read the text to a room full of scribes who would write it down. In Greek, just as in English, many words sound alike (“right” and “write;” “there,” “they’re” and “their”). A scribe might absent-mindedly copy down the wrong one. Sometimes the eye might skip over a word or repeat the same word twice.

What are you going to do? If you are making your own copy of the Bible and you have several copies in front of you, some of them might differ a little from the rest. Perhaps one uses one word while another uses a different word. How do you weigh your choices? The study of how to make that decision is called “textual criticism.” (A “text critic” isn’t “critical” in the sense of skeptical. He is just “careful.”)

All of these variants are relatively minor – mere matters of spelling and punctuation – but some were more serious and involved longer passages. There aren’t many. The major variants are John 7:53-8:11 (The story of the woman caught in adultery); Acts 8:36 (The Ethiopian Eunuch’s confession); 1 John 5:7, 8 (The witnesses in heaven); and the conclusion to Mark’s Gospel (Mark 16:9-20).

It is important to remember: even if we remove these “suspicious” passages from the New Testament, no major doctrine is threatened. As J.W. McGarvey pointed out about the conclusion of Mark over 100 years ago:

Let it first be observed, that it is not the authenticity of the passage, by which is meant the historical correctness of its representations, that is called in question, but only its genuineness as a part of Mark’s original manuscript.[ii]

How Does Mark End?

There are five theories concerning the ending of Mark:

  1. Mark 16:8 is the authentic conclusion.
  2. Mark 16:8 is the unfinished ending to the Gospel.
  3. The so-called “shorter ending” is correct.
  4. The actual ending has been lost.
  5. Mark 16:9-20 is the authentic ending of Mark.

Theory 1: Mark 16:8 is the authentic conclusion

Surprisingly, most text critics today support this view. The original Revised Standard Version of the New Testament concluded at this point. Many very important ancient manuscripts stop here.[iii]

There are thousands of ancient copies of the New Testament and portions of the New Testament. These are generally gathered into geographical groupings or families. They seem related to one another. In this case the Alexandrian witnesses seem to omit verses 9-20 while the Western authorities include it. The Eastern witnesses are fairly evenly divided. It would seem then the manuscripts are inconclusive.

We could try another approach. “Internal Evidence” refers to comparing the language and grammar of the suspicious passage with that of the rest of the book. Does it sound like Mark’s writing? We’ll discuss this idea more fully when we examine the fifth theory (the longer ending, vss. 9-20, is authentic).

But intrinsically, does it seem likely Mark would conclude his great gospel with the words “For they were afraid”? Doesn’t that seem too abrupt? Scholars who believe that’s how the gospel should end suggest the words εφοβουντο γαρ (“For they were afraid”) should be translated “For they were filled with holy awe.” However that reaction wouldn’t explain why “they said nothing to anyone.” Frank Kermode concludes if we accept verse 8 as the authentic conclusion, “We have to explain why a book that begins so triumphantly and makes promises of a certain kind ends in silence and dismay, without fulfilling the promises.”[iv]

Theory 2: Mark 16:8 is the unfinished ending

Of course it is possible that Mark was somehow prevented from completing his Gospel through persecution or premature death but there is no way of proving this conclusion one-way or the other. It seems very strange that Mark would be so close to completion – a few paragraphs at most – and not be able to finish his book! This theory is not very satisfying.

Theory 3: The “Shorter Ending” is correct

This suggestion is the most universally rejected theory. The manuscript evidence is very weak.[v] The language and grammar are also very unlike anything Mark wrote earlier. It was obviously written to create a satisfactory ending to the Gospel but it actually contradicts Mark. The authentic Gospel states, “they said nothing to anyone” but the shorter ending goes on to say what they said!

Apparently sometime in the late second or early third century, copies of Mark’s Gospel were circulating that concluded at verse 8. Someone composed the shorter ending in order to close Mark’s account. Thus for a period of time Mark must have circulated without an ending, with the shorter ending, and with the longer ending.

Theory 4: The Actual Ending Has Been Lost

There is a possibility the actual ending was lost at a very early date. Perhaps the end of the scroll was destroyed. Scholars have many interesting speculations about what that ending might have included. (For example it might have ended with a detailed account of the formation of the Jerusalem Church or a Galilean reunion as in Matthew. [Mark 14:28; 16:7]).

However, if the ending was destroyed, it must have happened at a very early date and Mark must have been unable to re-write it. Frankly it seems best to conclude we have the original ending: either the text ended with verse eight or Mark penned verses 9-20 and they became detached from an early copy.

Theory 5: Verses 9 – 20 are Authentic

First, the “Longer Ending” (vss. 9-20) was known and quoted by many early Christian Fathers including Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Vincentius, Porphyry, Eusebius and Ambrose (and even a non-Christian, Celsus). However, they also knew of copies that did not include these verses. The problem is a very old one!

If we look at the language and style of the conclusion and compare it with the rest of Mark’s Gospel, it is also inconclusive. The arguments could be interpreted either way: it is Mark’s style, or it isn’t Mark’s style.

So if the Longer Ending was part of the original, how did it become separated? Some feel it was removed because it was embarrassing. The church could no longer drink deadly poison or handle snakes and so they removed the last page sometime in the second century. That suggestion seems very bold and impious! Is there any evidence Christians boldly removed parts of the text? Perhaps in the case of Marcion the Heretic but that is preciously why he was called a heretic! There is little reason to suppose orthodox believers tampered with the text.

The only suggestion of merit hypothesizes one of the early copies of Mark became damaged – perhaps an Alexandrian copy since the Alexandrian families tend to omit these verses – while other copies were complete and formed the Western tradition that included verses 9 through 20.

So What is the Answer?

There is no way to prove or disprove either Theory 2 (The Unfinished Gospel) or Theory 4 (The Actual Ending has been Lost). Theory 3 (The “Shorter Ending”) has little to commend it. That leaves us to choose between the first theory (Mark ends at verse 8) and the last theory (The “Longer Ending.”) While certainty isn’t possible, concluding with “For they were afraid” is too unsatisfying to commend as the solution. This leaves us with including verses 9 – 20. Obviously some of the very early manuscripts do not include these verses and so they will always be “suspect.” Perhaps we can be content with the same answer Origen gave to the question, Who wrote Hebrews? “Only God knows with certainty.”

For now I am happy with the interesting line drawn between the verses for it shows just how seriously Christian judge anything that claims to be the Holy Word of God.

 



[i] A.T. Robertson, An Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, (Nashville: Broadman, 1925), p. 214.

[ii] J.W. McGarvey, Commentary on Matthew—Mark, (Delight Arkansas: Gospel Light reprint of 1871 ed.), p. 377.

[iii] B, Aleph, and 304 conclude here as does the Old Latin Codex Bobiensis (although it includes the shorter ending). The Sinaitic Syriac, about 100 Armenian manuscripts and the two oldest Georgian manuscripts end with verse 8

[iv] Quoted in Petersen, “When is the End not the End?”, Interpretation, April 1980, p. 151.

[v] “Several witnesses, including four uncial Greek manuscripts of the seventh, eighth, and ninth centuries (019, 044, 099, 0112), as well as Old Latin (k), the margin of the Harclean Syriac, several Sahidic and Bohairic manuscripts, and not a few Ethiopic manuscripts, continue after verse 8 as follows (with trifling variations): “But they reported briefly to Peter and those with him all that they had been told. And after this Jesus himself sent out b means of them, from east to west, the sacred and imperishable proclamation of eternal salvation.” Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament (United Bible Societies, 1971), p. 123.

Thy Neighbor’s Life

ENVY

So what do you do when you are standing in the check-out line at the grocery store? Probably most of us scan the tabloids if only out of the corner of our eyes. What is so fascinating about celebrities?  What would it be like to be rich, famous (infamous), beautiful, powerful? If we’re honest, there might be a hint of envy in our hearts.

Envy is a pervasive American sin. Harry Stein in his book, Ethics and Other Liabilities, says, “A convincing case can be made that the entire free enterprise system is fueled by envy.” On the television show, 60 Minutes, Anne Morrow Lindbergh said, “We worship success but we really don’t like the successful. We are envious of them.”

No emotion is so corrosive to the soul as acute envy. Unlike hatred or lust or violent anger, envy is internalized and there is nothing therapeutic about it. Envying someone causes the object of our envy no inconvenience whatsoever – in fact, he is likely to be gratified by it. Envy is an ugly sin. It is nearly impossible to “envy with style.” Invariably we end up looking as terribly small as we feel.  At its base, envy is largely a matter of self-contempt – of an intense dissatisfaction with what you are.

The Bible abounds with examples of people who were destroyed by envy. Cain envied Abel and King Saul envied David the shepherd:

And the women sang to one another as they celebrated,

“Saul has struck down his thousands,

and David his ten thousands.”

And Saul was very angry, and this saying displeased him. He said, “They have ascribed to David ten thousands, and to me they have ascribed thousands, and what more can he have but the kingdom?” And Saul eyed David from that day on, (1 Samuel 18:7-9).

Saul’s envy eventually cost him his kingdom! Envy is a major cause of unhappiness and self-contempt. The man who covets another man’s wife becomes discontented with his own. The student who envies another’s grades underestimates his own ability. Envy diminishes people’s enjoyment of life because they cannot be content with what they possess.

So how can we overcome envy? First, realize God wills only the best for you. We might think we would be happy if only we could be someone else but wisdom teaches us otherwise. Do you remember the poem “Richard Cory” by Edwin Arlington Robinson (or the Simon and Garfunkel song by the same name)?

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

No, like we’ve been teaching our children in Vacation Bible School, I’m going to “Trust God!”

Finally, fill your heart with gratitude. As someone observed, “If you think that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, it is probably because you are not properly caring for the grass on your own side.”

The Man Who Hated to Sing

Caedmon hated to sing. The smoky light from the lanterns filled the inn, but Caedmon could see through the haze the minstrel’s harp being passed his way. The old cowherd slipped into the night and retired to the stables to sleep.

The year was 650 A.D. near Whitby, England, on the coast of the North Sea. According to Bede, who wrote an Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation in the 8th century, after having a dream that night, Caedmon woke up singing songs about the creation of the world.

The old man went to his master, the bailiff, and told him about his dream and sang this song:

Now we must praise

The Maker of the heavenly realm,

The Creator’s power and wisdom,

The deeds of the Father of Glory;

How He, being God eternal,

Was the Author of all wonders,

Who first to the sons of men

Made heaven for the roof of their abode,

And then created the earth,

Almighty Guardian of mankind…

Admittedly, it was only a paraphrase of our Bible and a poor one at that, but it was the first attempt to make the stories of the creation, the exodus, Christ’s incarnation, passion, resurrection and ascension into heaven available to the English people in their own language. And what they could sing they could easily tell to others.

Caedmon left his master and went to live at a monastery. There the monks told him stories from their Latin Bible, then, each night, “keeping in mind all he had heard, and as it were chewing the cud,” according to Bede, he would retire to awake fresh each day with verses so melodious that “his instructors became his eager listeners.”

A few short years later Caedmon died in his sleep – after singing to comfort the sick near the place where he had hated to sing.

John McKeel

reprinted from John’s article in 20th Century Christian, May 1987

Dealing with a “Discrepancy”

Questions & Answers

I’m confused about when Jesus was crucified. Mark 15:25 says “it was the third hour when they crucified him” and John says Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd at the sixth hour (John 19:14) – so, according to John, Jesus must have been crucified after that.

– Clock Watcher

How do you measure time? If I said, “I just had a snack at 12:00,” does that mean I ate at noon or midnight? Europeans and the military use a 24-hour clock (“Formation is at seventeen-hundred,” i.e. 05:00 P.M.) while Americans, Mexicans and Canadians use a 12-hour clock and “A.M.” or “P.M.” to distinguish night from day.

We begin a new day at midnight but, without a clock or the sun to refer to, how do you know when midnight is? The Jews and the Athenians reasonably started their days at sundown. That can create problems for translators in places such as Acts 20:7. The Good News Bible says, “On Saturday evening we gathered together,” while all the standard translations read “On the first day of the week.…” Yes, it was literally Saturday night by our way of reckoning time but for those Christians, whose day began at sundown, it was Sunday!

So what about counting hours? Most people counted twelve hours of the night and twelve hours of the day (see John 11:9). On the other hand, the new Roman system counted the hours from midnight like we do. That provides us with a solution to this “discrepancy.” According to Mark, Jesus was crucified at the “third hour” (9:00 A.M. Jewish Time) and according to John “Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd at the sixth hour” (6:00 A.M. Roman Time). Since Matthew, Mark and Luke were written before the destruction of Jerusalem and John was written after the fall of the Jews, it seems reasonable to think the Synoptic Gospels used Jewish time (Jesus was crucified at the “third hour,” that is 9:00 AM) and John used Roman time (“Pilate presented Jesus to the crowd at the sixth hour,” that is 6:00 AM).

–       John

Thinking About Methuselah

 

Once, when I was both very bored and extremely curious, I made a timeline for the first few chapters of Genesis. Perhaps you’ve looked at those passages that describe the world before the flood and wondered at the great ages of the characters. “Adam lived 930 years” (Genesis 5:5). “Seth lived 912 years,” (5:8). “Enosh lived 905 years” (5:11). Later we read “Methuselah lived 969 years and then he died,” (5:27). That’s nearly a thousand years!

That left me with some interesting questions. What would it have been like to live to be that old? Just in my fifty plus years I’ve seen startling changes in my world. My grandfather went from horse and buggy, to airplanes, to seeing people walking on the moon. (Although Papa always suspected that was a hoax.) So what did Methuselah witness? The invention of the wheel? The domestication of dogs? Did he live long enough to see neckties become wide, then get skinny and then become wide again? How the world must have changed!

But now notice something interesting. If you plot out all of Methuselah’s years, you will discover he died the very same year Noah boarded his famous ark and escaped the flood. The world did change during Methuselah’s lifetime but it didn’t change for the better. People had become so thoroughly evil, God was sorry he created us (Genesis 6:6). Can you imagine how wicked we could become if we lived as long as Methuselah did? Is it possible Methuselah died in the deluge? And that question left me to conclude, it doesn’t really matter how long we live. The only thing that truly matters is how we live!

The Life of Timothy of Lystra

                  On a low hill in the midst of broad valley stood the Roman outpost of Lystra.  Like Pisidian, Antioch, her sister city, Lystra was a Roman colony.  Augustus had bestowed the honor on her to defend the southern part of the province of Galatia against barbarous mountain tribes who plagued the region.  The climate was pleasant and the surrounding fertile valley was well watered.  Her only disadvantage was her remote location far from the main roads.  This made Lystra a rather rustic and provincial town.  But perhaps for that very reason Paul and Barnabas sought refuge there from the persecution at Iconium (Acts 14:1-7).

It is very likely that during this first missionary visit they converted a young man named, Timothy.  His father was Greek and his mother was Jewish (Acts 16:1).  There is no record of a synagogue at Lystra, but there was probably a “place of prayer” such as the one the apostles would find at Philippi (Acts 16:13).  But even without a synagogue, Timothy had been taught the Scriptures from his birth by both his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice (2 Timothy 1:5; 3:14,15).

His Early Years with Paul

When Paul returned to Lystra on his second missionary journey, he and Silas needed a young man to help them with the work as John Mark had done on the first journey.  Young Timothy was well-known to the Christians in both Lystra and Iconium and upon their recommendation Paul laid his hands on the young man, circumcised him, and called him to join this mission (Acts 16:1-5).

From Galatia Paul and his band traveled to Troas where the apostle received the “Macedonian call” to cross over into Europe (Acts 16:6-10).  Luke joined the group at this point and traveled with them to Philippi.  There they enjoyed the hospitality of Lydia, the first of Paul’s converts in Europe.  But late, because Paul had healed a slave girl of demon possession, he and Silas were taken before the city magistrates and punished.  Timothy was not arrested, but he was a witness of the power of the Holy Spirit who freed Paul and Silas during the night (Acts 16:16-40).

From Philippi they traveled south to Thessalonica but after three Sabbaths they were forced to move on by the plots of jealous men in the synagogue (Acts 17:1-9).  They fared better at Berea but again agitators from Thessalonica stirred up trouble and Paul had to be sent by the brethren to Athens.  Silas and Timothy remained behind and encouraged the new Christians in Berea (17:15).

These two caught up with Paul (Acts 18:15) but Paul’s concern for the young church at Thessalonica caused him to send Timothy north again.  His mission was to see how they had fared during the persecution and to help put the work there on a firmer basis (1 Thessalonians 3:1,2,6).

Events in Corinth

Shortly after Paul’s arrival in Corinth the familiar sequence of events repeated itself.  After preaching in the synagogue, jealous Jews made a united attack on Paul.  They dragged him before Gallio, the proconsul, and attempted to have Paul punished.  However, Gallio refused to hear the case and Paul was able to spend almost two years in Corinth preaching and teaching (50-51 a.d.).  The apostle concluded his second missionary journey by returning to Jerusalem and Antioch.

We next encounter Timothy at Ephesus with Paul on the third missionary journey (Acts 19:22).  Reports had reached Paul that the Corinthian church was badly fragmented and facing many challenges.  Paul commissioned Timothy to go there and help settle matters (1 Corinthians 16:10, 11) and was apparently only partially successful.  Paul then sent a second letter, but this time with Titus (compare 2 Corinthians 1:1, 19 and 8:16ff.).

Now accompanied by Paul, Timothy returned to Corinth and was with the apostle when he wrote to the Romans (Romans 16:21).  Timothy was also a part of the relief mission to Jerusalem that concluded Paul’s third mission (Acts 20:1-6).

Timothy in Ephesus

We lose sight of Timothy during Paul’s Caesarean imprisonment but when the apostle arrived in Rome, Timothy was there with him (Col. 1:1, Phil. 1).  It is likely that Timothy carried the Philippian letter to Macedonia (Phil. 1:1; 2:19) and after Paul’s release from prison, Timothy was left in Ephesus to set things in order (1 Timothy 1:2) while Paul visited Macedonia.  Perhaps from Philippi the apostle sent the first letter addressed to help Timothy succeed in Ephesus where he had failed at Corinth.

The Final Years

The reconstruction of the final years of Paul’s life are difficult.  He may have fulfilled his desire to go to Spain (Romans 15:24) and he certainly visited the churches of Asia, Macedonia and Achaia.  It may be that during this time Timothy was arrested and released (Hebrews 13:22,24).  Titus had been left on Crete to help organize the churches there and Paul intended to winter at Nicopolis.  Unfortunately Paul was arrested again and sent to Rome for the last time.  Paul’s final letter, and our last historical notice of Timothy was addressed from prison with the final apostolic wish that faithful Timothy might “come before winter.”

Tongue Taming

 

It’s been said that a person’s worth depends upon their two smallest organs: their heart and their tongue. One of my favorite teachers, John T. Willis from Abilene Christian University, quotes this story from Morgenstern’s commentary on Genesis:

 Rabban Simon ben Gamaliel once ordered his servant to bring from the market the best thing to be found there. To the good rabbi’s surprise he brought a tongue. At another time the rabbi commanded him to bring the worst thing the market could offer. To his still greater surprise the servant again brought a tongue. “How is this?” the master asked. “When I bade thee bring the best thing the market provided, thou didst bring a tongue. And now that I have ordered the worst thing, thou doest still bring a tongue?”

“Good master,” answered the wise servant, “dost thou not know that a tongue may be either the best or the worst thing in this world accordingly as its owner uses it?”

Do you remember this playground proverb: “Sticks and stones my break my bones but names can never hurt me”? Well, they were wrong. My bones may heal but I may never get over some of the hurtful things people have said about me.

One of the most beautiful people I ever met was called “Sunshine.” (It was the 70’s after all.) She had long blonde hair, (It was the 70’s. Did I mention that?) blue eyes, a cute button nose sprinkled with freckles and a snowy white smile that would melt your heart. She modeled for Andrew Wyeth and appeared in Life Magazine one Christmas but Sunshine never did acknowledge her beauty because the boys in High School called her “Stumps.” They said her legs were too short and she never forgot their teasing. I told her Abe Lincoln was teased for just the opposite reason. People said his legs were too long but he didn’t let it bother him. Mr. Lincoln observed: “A man’s legs should reach from about his waist to the ground and that’s all that matters.”

Jesus’ brother, James, warns us, “The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell,” (James 3:6).

So how do we go about “tongue taming”? Here are some hints:

  1. Granny’s observation was correct: “God gave us two ears and one tongue so we should listen twice as much as we talk.”
  2. Before you open your mouth, ask yourself, “Is it necessary for me to say anything?” Someone joked, “Christians don’t gossip, they just share prayer requests.”
  3. Ask yourself, “Is it true?”
  4. Ask yourself, “Is it kind?”

 

Finally, share this prayer, “Lord, may my words be tender and kind for I may have to eat them.”

Yes! 2 Corinthians 1:18-20

“18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.” (2 Corinthians 1:18-20)

Why do people think Christians are so negative? Perhaps it’s because we are always talking about “Thou shalt not…” We not only focus on the things we can’t do and the things we don’t do, in the past we even added extra layers of “no” around activities because they might, possibly lead someone to sin. For example, I remember forty years ago overhearing a class for teenage girls warning them not to wear patent leather shoes (“Boys will be tempted to stare at the reflections and look up your dress.”) or polka dots (“Young men will be tempted to push the dots.”) Imagine my reaction when I saw a girl wearing patent leather shoes with a polka dot dress! No wonder people think Christians don’t know how to live.

Jesus would take exception to that. Do you remember when the Lord explained, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly,” (John 10:10). I think Jesus would spell “life” with a capital L!

“But there is so much evil in the world!” someone might warn and they would be right. Judith Smith pointed out in Ladies’ Bible Class, “The way to overcome evil is to turn it around. ‘Evil’ spelled backwards is ‘Live.’”

Two words for “evil” used in the New Testament are phalos and kakos. The first, phalos can also be translated “base, ordinary.” That sheds an interesting light on Paul’s instructions to the Corinthians:

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil [phalos],” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

What if we translated Paul’s words as “so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in this life, whether good or ordinary”? If you really want to experience life don’t settle for evil, that’s just ordinary. Be extraordinary!

The second word is kakos. The second century Christian, Ignatius, wrote: “These people, while pretending to be trustworthy, mix Jesus Christ with poison [kakos]—like those who administer a deadly drug with honeyed wine, which the unsuspecting victim accepts without fear, and so with fatal pleasure drinks down death,” (Letter to the Traillians, 6:2). Evil is a deadly poison. I want no part of that!

So God is warning us not drink the poison the world is offering; instead live an extraordinary life! This thing we call “sin” has consequences, now and later, so choose life!