a differentiating characteristic with regards to good and evil

retrospective studies

 

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

James 3:9-10

 

it must certainly be hypocrisy for man to be cursing and praising from the same mouth.  in what james indicates, this is a call for us to choose--between good and evil.  and choose to be good and say only good rather than to allow for our natures, our sinful natures, to take control and to spew things which are not good and therefore not belonging to God.

 

in light of this most straightforward command to be good and think and say that which is good, i have a most apparent obligation to rededicate myself to those things as a disciple of Christ.  Lord, i have so many shortcomings, and i must say that there is much too much that is not good that has come from my mouth.  but that can change.  not only that, but it must.

 

what must i do in the imminent future though?  well, praise is only appropriate for you God as i continue to live and breath and take in this most wonderful life.  it's a wonderful life, indeed.  your creation floods my senses and i have only pleasure and happiness from it.  all around me, the relationships that i have begun to build only bring a smile to my face as i explore depth with the adults in particular who have taken an interest in me, who've invested themselves in my future.

 

as for curses, there is no reason for that.  my objective, stop it.  stahp it.  there's no reason for that.  i'm... trying to think how i've sinned in that way most recently in speaking ill of others.  i'm not exactly sure, but ----oh, just kidding.  my decided distaste for some of the potential --innfants and for --iblings.  that's enough.  who am i to pass judgment.  i have absolutely no right.  better only and better yet would be to express love and concern where their particular behaviors might be concerned.

so now, i say and see this:  for myself, to love your Lord ever more fervently is necessary and to forget about the shortcomings of others in my conversations with others and to basically stop gossiping and participating in the spread of stories which are true but not necessarily beneficial or image-building for others, yeah.  that would make me that much more of a better person and disciple for Christ.  it's a differentiating characteristic--or at least it should be.