I have a gift. A gift that my mother is not so proud of. I have the gift of sarcasm.
I am pretty sure that God felt I needed a double helping of this gift, because he has truly blessed me. Now, I have looked and looked in the Bible, and have yet to find it in the list of spiritual gifts, but I haven’t given up on looking quite yet.
I like my sarcasm. I like the fun. I like the funniness. I like the laughter. Long ago, I made an effort to try and not use my sarcasm for evil. I learned from close personal experience that it can be so hurtful as I was on the receiving end more often. But, alas, sometimes, I am not so nice. I turned more toward self depreciating humor and that gets the biggest laughs, and we all know it is just FUN to LAUGH!
A little while ago, God starting to deal with me about my mouth again. The Bible is far from timid when dealing with the subject, and I am guessing that some of those verses may have been written with my picture in the back of Solomon’s mind.
The mouth is such a powerful tool. A tool for great good, and a tool for destruction. What was I using it for?
Besides all the verses dealing with a foolish tongue, what about all the verses dealing with His praise? “His praise shall continually be in my mouth.” It is pretty hard to put a cheeseburger in your mouth, if there is a hot dog in there already. It is pretty hard to have my mouth full of praise continually, when I have it full of sarcasm that cuts.
Praise. Continually? Thankfulness. Gratefulness. Joy. Peace.
I have been challenged to be a more POSITIVE voice. Sure, you can have fun, but it can’t be at other’s expense. It can’t be at my OWN expense either.
When, I spend my time insulting the creation that God has made, I am doing NOTHING to glorify God. I am fearfully and wonderfully made! God made me the way He chose – mouth and all. He knew the issues I would face, and the problems that plague me. He knew my strengths and my weakness and He chose me “before the foundation of the world.” and I go around KNOCKING His choice?
Lately, I am been seriously challenged in my resolve to be more positive. Life is full of the same circumstances faced by my sarcastic alter ego, but my response to such circumstances MUST be different. Instead of verbally lashing out at the situation or the person, I have to wait and think a whole lot more! It is like trying to rewire my brain. I know that I am not capable of such work. I know that He who began a good work in me will finish what He started.
Don’t we serve an amazing God?
