Friday, August 8, 2008

Rewind button?

Do you ever wish you had a rewind button?

We say something harsh, do something stupid. We stand by and watch as the words that just flew out of our mouths (or our keyboard) do their damage. And once they are out, we cringe, like the archer who let fly the arrow accidentally.

Sometimes we do intend harm only to find ourselves horrified at the reality. Sometimes we are trying to be funny and it goes horribly wrong. Sometimes we are hurting ourselves and the only way we think we can feel better is to poke those around us with that sharp object we carry around (that would be our tongue).

How often do we then let the apologies pour forth, hoping somehow to pull those words back into our mouths? Hoping that with the flood of guilt and shame, the awful thing we just said will get washed away. Sometimes we fall over ourselves trying to make up for the pain we inflict. We get a bandage, hold it over the wound to try and stop the blood from flowing, all the while whispering I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry.

And in your mind, you see the tape rewinding, people walking backwards, words turned inside out and you get *just* there - to that one moment in time when you had the choice to say it or shut your mouth, to click send or the big red X. But the tape won't stay rewound so you can start over, it just plays out over and over again in your mind.

Why? Why did I say that? And the words of James 3:8 flood your mind - "but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison."

But there is a rewind button -and that is forgiveness. True forgiveness. A good friend of mine (who has been jabbed - several times) taught me that forgiveness freely given is a balm that stops the bleeding. Forgiveness freely received stops the torment in your heart. Forgiveness from Heaven heals and teaches us.

And hopefully, prayerfully, that forgiveness will stand in front of our mouths reminding us, warning us against the next foolish choice.

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