Should you turn off the filter?

Do you, like I, ever struggle with not engaging the filter between your brain and your mouth?  There are times when mine just doesn’t work so well.   

But sometimes the filter needs to be turned off.

Do you remember the argument that Balaam had with Balak in Numbers 23?  If you are saying yes, I am impressed!   

Here’s how it went.

Balak wanted Balaam to cuse his enemies.  But Baalam was determined to speak the words God had given them.   That didn’t work out so well for Balak!  The words that the Lord gave Balaam to speak were the opposite of the ones that Balak wanted to hear.

In Numbers 23:11-12 we read these words:

And Balak said to Balaam, “What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and behold, you have done nothing but bless them.” 12 And he answered and said, “Must I not take care to speak what the Lord puts in my mouth?”

There are times when we need a filter, no doubt.   But it is not when it comes to words of Scripture — or the words that we know God has asked us to share with others.     Regardless of whether or not it is what people want to hear, we need to find a way to share God’s words — as lovingly, gently and with as much grace as we can.  

What’s word has God put in your mouth today?

Anybody grow up singing this song from Psalm 19? 

https://youtu.be/lKnmUSrPlCo

It was part of my teenage years.  The version I used to sing ended with “May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart, be acceptable unto you, O God, my Rock and my Redeemer.

This is a little different version and is a recording of Rich Mullins singing it.  (And if you haven’t seen the movie about his life called  Rich Mullins: A Ragamuffin's Legacy  you should check it out.   And if you haven’t read the book by Brennan Manning called  The Ragamuffin Gospel you really should read that too. Wow, I just told you a lot of things you should do didn’t I?  :-)