Tearing Flesh

"Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing" (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

The last six months have burned upon my heart a greater desire to do what Paul praises these believers for doing. Take a moment and just listen to conversations around you. Better yet, stop the next time you are talking and think about what you have just said. Chances are, considering the culture and the nature of our speech and interaction with others, you were as guilty as I often am at doing anything but encouraging and building up one another.

Whether the secular workplace or the full-time ministry, this snare dons the pathway of both places. Encouraging words have been replaced with sarcasm and crass words. We often criticize what we call "young people" for speaking so unkindly to one another. They get scolded for being demeaning and derogatory, yet the tree trunk is hanging out of our own eye (and theirs has merely a speck in it). And while we fail to really ponder the truth of this statement, those who come after us typically exhibit behavior patterned after that which was modeled for them.

Out of all the conversations that take place in a given week, I wonder how many of mine (and yours) are truly uplifting, God-glorifying and build the other individual up to be better than they were before they entered the conversation. While often we simply outright tear people down and drive knives into their heart and soul, sarcasm seems to be the main weapon of choice today.

The word sarcasm appeared in the English language in 1579. It comes from the Greek word sarkazo which literally means "to tear flesh." I know I use sarcasm at times when it is really innocent. However, we tend to use it a lot when it isn't so innocent; when we are angry or upset. We use it when we want to exalt ourselves while tearing them down by sarcasm.

I believe everyone, even the hardest of individuals, want the same things: Love, acceptance and to be encouraged. Yet even among followers of Jesus Christ, we fail on a daily basis to love, accept and encourage those around us. The Thessalonians were encouraging and building up. Paul wasn't correcting them; he was praising them. And in doing so encouraging more of the same from them. Maybe you are a Barnabas in this world. You encourage others. I certainly love having those individuals around me. They make me want to be more encouraging to others.

But it seems too many of us are jaded, cynical, hypercritical, super derogatory, majorly demeaning, and filled with sarcasm. I want to be different. As Adrian Rogers once said, "Man has only three problems--sin, sorrow and death." You never know when someone is struggling with either of the three. My fear is that my words would cause them sorrow and pain in addition to whatever else may be taking place in his or her life.

So let's clean up the airwaves. Forget the filthy radio stations or TV channels. Let's begin first with the pollutants spewing forth from our mouths. That in itself will do wonders and cause a watching world to see living proof of a loving God through us!

Micah continues to spend time at home which we love. However, Thursday afternoon at 2:00 PM he will undergo a procedure to try to pinpoint the size of the blood clot and the reason his abdomen continues to enlarge (especially if the clot is shrinking in size as the ultrasound leads us to believe even though it is occurring ever so slowly).

He will spend the night on Thursday for sure. Hopefully he'll return home on Friday. As for the blockage where the bile duct and intestines, Micah continues to have the drain which drains the bile into an external bag. This may be checked on Thursday to see what things look like at that site. But there seem to be no plans at this time to internalize that drain.

Isaac and Ethan are doing well. Ethan returned to the dentist last Thursday concerning his tooth. His tooth is slowly emerging from the gum and should come back into place. It does have a little chip out of it, but at least he'll have the tooth. They both are enjoying their little brother being home. They still mention at various times how they don't want Micah to have to go back to the hospital. Nevertheless, God has faithfully strengthened and sustained both of them and we pray for that to continue.

As far as items for prayer, please pray for Thursday's procedure and that Micah can return home soon. We pray for no complications or issues to arise out of what is done Thursday. As always, we pray that once again God will be exalted and glorified in the way we live, speak and respond in all circumstances.