So my friend Jeannie called today, and for the next two hours we caught up on each other's lives. (Maybe if we talked more often it wouldn't take so long. Actually, now that I think about it, the last time we talked it was for four hours...so this wasn't so bad!)
Well, one particular part of the conversation left me with something of the "heavy duty" nature to ponder for awhile. Inevitably, in the course of our conversation, she will say something to the effect, "Do you remember when you told me...." or "One of the things you said to me one day was...." or "Several years ago you told me..." She does this to me often and sometimes it is oddly disconcerting.
And, of course today was no different, except that she had to set me up for what she was going to tell me that I had said. So the whole time she was giving me all of the details, I was feverishly wondering where she was going with this line of conversation and hoping that whatever it was I told her was fair, just and wise and not random, off the wall or shallow!
Jeannie's "still waters" run deep and my responses, my counsel and my advice need to be worthy of her formidable introspection, and she seems to remember so much of what I have spoken over the years! Blessedly, what she shared-that I had shared-was very familiar because I wholeheartedly believe it and have said it to any number of people throughout the years. So I could confirm and reaffirm the gist of the conversation, but here's where the post-phone call pondering took me...
How many times, through the years, have I given poor counsel or thoughtless advice or...whatever, not just to Jeannie, but to others; to my children, to my friends, to the people in my realm of influence, to those under my spiritual leadership? How many times and in how many situations have I shared insights from my own painful
pre-healed past that might not have been at all wise or helpful. I am reminded of my "life's theme" a few year's ago (I usually discover one for every year of my life). The one that stands out the most was from 2006:
"Who Am I and What Do I Know?"
So where has this reflection taken me today? Right into the face and heart of my God and with that comes the humbling experience of realizing that, in and of myself, I have nothing of any value to offer anyone! It is only as my Father guides, directs and instructs me; only as He gives me divine wisdom can I offer another something worth the remembering.
Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer."
Isaiah 50:4 "The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary. He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught."
Proverbs 15:2 “When wise people speak, they make knowledge attractive, but stupid people spout nonsense.” (GNT)
“The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness.” (NKJV)
“Knowledge flows like spring water from the wise; fools are leaky faucets, dripping nonsense.” (The Message)
“The wise person makes learning a joy; fools spout only foolishness.” (NLT)
LORD, may You EVER teach me wisdom!
