Thinking, Speaking and Becoming
While considering my last post, Christmas Gifts, Christmas
Memories, I began to see how much it relates to the
"speaking" theme which I've been blogging about for a while now.
It wasn't intended for that purpose, but none-the-less, it does
relate. And how, might you ask? Well, I'll attempt to share with
you what I saw.
After looking over that post earlier while making a few minor corrections and changes-the typical things you do when you write anything-and as I finished and walked away, I began to see how the can of ravioli and coconut pie spoke to me. It all seemed so simple in a way. I've known this for some time now but seeing so clearly in my own blog how it all tied in was quite amazing to me. So what did the they (the ravioli and coconut pie) say? They said, "What a fun summer that was," while filling my thoughts with the story I related....all good ones! And truly, that summer was one of my happiest childhood times and therefore memories, so what these inanimate objects said to me was true!
This sort of thing happens ALL the time to everyone. We're just not usually aware of it to this degree. So in one sense, everything has a voice and depending on our experience, or even lack of it, these objects will say different things to each of us. In fact a very large retailer of imported items has capitalized on it. They have commercials inviting us to come to their store to find, "what speaks to you"! It is my belief that in Mark 11:12-14 (though what He did has a greater meaning) the fig tree spoke to Jesus. He was hungry and seeing the fig tree *having leaves, he went closer only to discover it had no fruit. At that point the fig tree could have been saying something like this, "There's no fruit here, you,'ll just have to stay hungry." Verse 14 records how Jesus literally answered the fig tree:
After looking over that post earlier while making a few minor corrections and changes-the typical things you do when you write anything-and as I finished and walked away, I began to see how the can of ravioli and coconut pie spoke to me. It all seemed so simple in a way. I've known this for some time now but seeing so clearly in my own blog how it all tied in was quite amazing to me. So what did the they (the ravioli and coconut pie) say? They said, "What a fun summer that was," while filling my thoughts with the story I related....all good ones! And truly, that summer was one of my happiest childhood times and therefore memories, so what these inanimate objects said to me was true!
This sort of thing happens ALL the time to everyone. We're just not usually aware of it to this degree. So in one sense, everything has a voice and depending on our experience, or even lack of it, these objects will say different things to each of us. In fact a very large retailer of imported items has capitalized on it. They have commercials inviting us to come to their store to find, "what speaks to you"! It is my belief that in Mark 11:12-14 (though what He did has a greater meaning) the fig tree spoke to Jesus. He was hungry and seeing the fig tree *having leaves, he went closer only to discover it had no fruit. At that point the fig tree could have been saying something like this, "There's no fruit here, you,'ll just have to stay hungry." Verse 14 records how Jesus literally answered the fig tree:
Mark 11:14
In response Jesus said to it, “Let no one eat fruit from you ever again.” (NKJV my empahsis)
(And in case anyone would wonder why Jesus would curse a seemingly innocent fig tree, you might be interested in reading more information at this site since *having leaves would indicate it also had fruit.)
Many things speak to us such as our bank accounts, minor aches and pains, a sneeze, what we see in the mirror, just about everything has a voice which speaks something to us and more times than not, in a negative way. Unchallenged thoughts of this nature can be devastating to us over time since they have the power within themselves to affect the way we see ourselves, our circumstances and future causing us to think, behave and believe according to their deceptive influences. *Many have written about this well documented subject. The Bibles says in Proverbs 23:7 as a man thinks in in heart so is he and once these thoughts have lodged in our heart we inevitably start speaking the same things! Jesus said that out of the abundance of the heart a man speaks (Luke 6:45 ). The Bible has a lot to say about the words we speak which most often originate from an outside voice which speaks to us, and once received and believed become our own. After this negative cycle begins, in all probability we'll at some point hear those words spoken audibly by some one around us, since this sort of negativity attracts like kind. Now that's truly propagating a harvest, but not the type we desire!
What can be done to change this? Maybe we should do what Jesus did! No, I'm not suggesting that we go around cursing anything, but we can answer back. And who else knows how to do this better than Him who answered the fig tree! He will help us not only to recognize these lies, but take us through the process of cleaning out the old and replacing it with the new, the truth. Yes we have a Helper, a Teacher and a Friend who'll gladly take us through the process. Now the truth of the matter is that it's a lifelong process, but one never too late to start. It's something we'll continually have need of growing in, but isn't that what maturing is all about?
I'll close this entry with a couple of encouraging scriptures which speak to me concerning these things.
Matthew
11:27-30
The
Message (MSG)
27 Jesus
resumed talking to the people, but now tenderly. “The Father has given me all
these things to do and say. This is a unique Father-Son operation, coming out
of Father and Son intimacies and knowledge. No one knows the Son the way the
Father does, nor the Father the way the Son does. But I’m not keeping it to
myself; I’m ready to go over it line by line with anyone willing to listen.
28-30 “Are
you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and
you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and
work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything
heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live
freely and lightly.” (My emphasis, of course!)
John
16:13
King
James Version (KJV)
13 Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.
*For more short interesting insights on the importance of what we think you might want to look here.
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