Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. … Wait patiently
for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. … Psalm 27:14

 

Five Minute Friday- a time to write five minutes no correcting just writing and then joining others who have written on the same word.

Go.

 

 

This is Tory, she is my faithful writing partner. She has to sit beside me when I am writing on the computer. Tory loves food and she knows the words, “Are you hungry, do you want to eat?”  She twirls around and she is even more animated if human food is involved. We have her trained to sit and “Wait” for her food. My husband or myself say “Wait” and she looks at her food and then back to the person feeding her. I’ll say, “Tory, I said to WAIT.” So once more she will look at her food and my mouth waiting for the word “OK.” She will not eat until she hears the word, “OK.”

I am reading Karen Ehman’s book “Keep It Shut, What To Say, How To Say It and When To Say Nothing At All.”  What if we were to wait before speaking hurtful words in the heat of an argument. What if you were to wait before you say something you will regret to your husband when he has let you down. What if you would wait to reply when criticized at work. Whait if you wait before you pounce on a comment made to you.

When there is a difficult situation to handle, wait for the Holy Spirit to guide your words. While you are waiting, whisper a prayer to the Lord to guide your words.

In Colossians 4,2-5, ” Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Today, just as Tory will WAIT for her food, I will wait with my words so my words are edifying not harmful, helpful not hateful. My mom used to say, “If you can not say something kind, do not say anything at all.” Such great advice.

Stop.