Swords or Salve

SWORDS or SALVE

My parents owned a sword. My uncle had brought it home from the Orient when I was just a child. The sword seemed as tall as I was, and mom insisted that it be kept packed away.

Beware The Power Of A Sword

Upon occasion my uncle would visit. After many years, I remember him telling my mom, “That sword and scabbard are worth something, but if you don’t want them, I’ll take 'em back.”

Dad’s feeling about the sword had always been neutral. What I remember was mom’s happiness when it was not just out of sight, but out of our home.

This sword incident came back to me as I was reading a short verse in Proverbs: The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing (Proverbs 12:18).

When you hear the word proverb, you probably think wise saying. If so, you’re right. The Book of Proverbs in the Old Testament is full of wisdom for things like relationships, business practices, and spiritual guidance.

I think we humans tend to be hard enough on ourselves that we don’t need others wielding a sword of harsh, hurtful words.

Get Our Your Salve, Not Your Sword

There’s some great advice in verse twenty-five of the same chapter: Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

As I contemplated these two verses, I pictured swords vs. salve. I don’t want to be reckless with my words. That doesn’t mean I can’t speak the truth lovingly when necessary, but it means I understand the power of words.

Because people are often careless about what they say, swords will always be with us. But that’s a great reminder to kindly make our words like salve, soothing and healing.

Knit Cap from a Stranger

KNIT CAP from a STRANGER

Summer Sun Can Be Plenty Hot

It was summer in southern Arizona when I had chemo treatments for breast cancer. It produced an immediate problem. When I lost my hair, my head felt cold and I was not sleeping well.

I hoped to find a knit cap somewhere in my metropolis. Sales associates gave me some mighty strange looks, and I finally got the message---this was a lost cause.

A square cotton scarf tied behind my head felt comfortable. I didn’t realize people could still tell I was bald. Believe me, ignorance was bliss.

One day I renewed a prescription at the pharmacy, then wandered through the store. I felt I was being followed, but saw no one.

At last a lady said, “I noticed you at the pharmacy. I hope you won’t be offended, but would you be interested in a knit cap?”

My response was, “Would I! I’ve been trying to find one without success.”

Lavender Is A Pretty Color

She said, “I belong to a group that knits caps for chemo patients. The only one I have left is lavender. Would that be OK?”

“Color doesn’t matter,” I said, “I’d just be glad for a cap. My head gets really cold at night.”

After a quick trip to her car, she handed me a skull cap, knit in the softest lavender baby yarn. What an unexpected blessing. It was easy to smile as I expressed my appreciation.

That night, and for months following, I enjoyed good sleep with a warm head. Thanks to a small tag pinned to the cap, I was able to send the group a note of thanks.

I was impressed that the ladies not only knit caps, but put forth individual effort to distribute them. To me it was a perfect illustration of Ecclesiastes 9:10: Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might . . . 

Here I am, thirteen years later, still thankful for a knit cap from a stranger.

One Very Bad Hair Day

ONE VERY BAD HAIR DAY

I think most people have a bad hair day now and then. But in 2007 I experienced the worst hair day ever!

Hair Comes in Great Varieties

As I was brushing my hair, clumps fell into the sink. Chemo, surgery and radiation were my prescribed treatments for fighting breast cancer. Though I’d been warned of hair loss, my day of reckoning came after only two chemo treatments.

I looked in the bathroom mirror and saw no sparkle in my eyes, no bright smile, just an incredible amount of sadness.

A hand mirror helped me survey more damage. I called my husband and he came in. “Would you cut off the remaining patches of hair,” I asked, “why put off the inevitable?” It was a hard day for him, too, but he kindly gave me the help I needed.

To me, a wig on a bald head was uncomfortable. My head also felt cold when I tried to sleep, but it was summer in southern Arizona. Air conditioning was a necessity.

One thing I tried to avoid was looking in a mirror with my head uncovered. My favorite head gear was a square cotton scarf knotted behind my neck.

I found timely comfort in 1 Peter 3:3-4. It says beauty is not to come from outward adornment, but from your inner self.

The Book of Proverbs Is Full of  Wisdom

One inner beauty secret is discretion. On this issue, King Solomon was quite blunt: “Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who shows no discretion” (Proverbs 11:22).

He wasn’t easy on men, either. Proverbs 25:28 says, “Like a city whose walls are broken down is a man who lacks self-control.”

It was easy to smile when my hair grew back, but I still have a bad hair day now and then. The difference is my focus.

First, I look in the mirror and try my best outwardly. Then I turn away, and remember that true beauty comes from the inside.

Next Week: Knit Cap From A Stranger

Who Needs A Break?

WHO NEEDS A BREAK?

You do . . . I do . . . that’s no surprise. But did you know that God took a break?

Beautiful Water and Sky

Let’s get to the point by taking Genesis Chapter One at face value. In the beginning, “evening and morning” made a day. Each day God reviewed His work and declared it “good.”

But on the sixth day, God looked over ALL His work and declared it “very good” (Genesis 1:31). Satisfied with His six-day work week, God declared the seventh day holy, or set aside as a day of rest (Genesis 2:2-3).

It became known as Sabbath, which comes from the word shabbat. Its prime meaning is to cease or withdraw from work. He later emphasized its importance by including it in the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:8-11).

While leading the Exodus out of Egypt, Moses gave further insight into the

Sand and Sky Has Beauty, Too

importance of this day. It was to be a restful and holy reminder that God had brought them out of slavery (Deuteronomy 5:12-15).

Sometimes I think we simply slave away on our own. So much to do, so little time. Rest? Later! But Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:23-28).

No matter which days you work, the principle is the same: You need a day of rest. If you are wise, it will include honoring the One who declared it important in the first place.

Balance Your Life With Work and Rest

Who needs a break? Us earthlings! But it does not happen automatically.

God commanded a day of rest because He cares about us. The question is, do you care enough about yourself to follow His instruction?