Ouch!

We live in a world of hurt. It’s not always physical, sometimes it’s emotional. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s endured a bruised or broken heart. 

Perhaps you trusted someone who lied to you. Did you experience the mental pain of self-incrimination --- “How could I have been so foolish as to believe them?” 

People seem eager to trust what they read on the internet or on social media. News pours forth day and night, but who is vetting it? Trust in dating apps seems to vary, depending on who’s telling their story.    

Overall, trust is a valuable commodity. It causes us to believe in the reliability, truth, or strength of another person. Without trust, society does not move forward well. If someone breaks our trust, or doesn’t live up to our expectations, we are reluctant to trust again. 

Who do you trust? Have you realized how trust is a major player in your life? It’s how you build relationships in your family, among friends, in business, at church, or in politics. 

On the other hand, has someone put their trust in you for care, advice, guardianship, or investments? Consider it an honor and handle it wisely. 

Confidence is another word for trust. Con men are trust swindlers. But sometimes we con ourselves. Instead of taking time to let a person prove their reliability, we rush forward. An example might be how few of us bother to check out political candidates. It’s so easy to take them at face value. 

King Solomon had a word about trust: Like a bad tooth or a lame foot is reliance on the unfaithful in times of trouble (Proverbs 25:19 NIV). OUCH! Recovery requires both time and special care, by others and ourselves. 

Who is always worthy of trust? My answer is God, for two reasons out of many: (1) He does not lie (Titus 1:2); and (2) His words will never pass away (Matthew 24:35). 

David, as a shepherd boy, warrior, and king did many brave things, yet declared there were times of fear when he would put his trust in God (Psalm 56:3-4).

Hard times or not, who do you trust?

A Big Lie

 

 Did you ever hear this childhood chant? Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me. 

How long did it take you to realize it might be fun to say, but in real life, it was a big lie? 

Even short and simple words have power. Sticks and stones may break bones and we’ll recover, but hurtful words can abide inside us forever.

I’ve worked with both children and adults who were timid and using less than half their awesome potential because someone in their past had said, “You’re stupid. You can’t do anything right. Get out of the way. You don’t know what you’re doing!” 

Through their ears, negative words entered their mind and spirit, remaining like a record with lifetime automatic replay. 

Never underestimate the power of your words! It’s not just what you say, but also how you say it. 

“You’re a fat little baby,” can sound harmless when said in a soft cooing way by a smiling mother with loving eyes. But the same words hold a different power when said harshly by a caregiver who is glaring at a little one while handling a diaper change. 

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the mind and healing to the body (Proverbs 16:24, AMP). Words, like bees, have the power to both sting and make honey. 

Honeycombs are six-sided cumulative structures, built and filled cell by cell. From birth we are like honeycombs, holding on to what we hear from people around us. 

As adults, we like to think that words can no longer hurt us. Let’s be honest - - - they do! 

Whether we are on the giving or receiving end, words have staying power. Sometimes we have the first word, sometimes the last. 

The question is, “Will it be a sharp sting or sweet like honey?”

 

Modern Anger

Anger seems to always result in negative spillover. I don’t think there’s a person alive who has never experienced it. Sometimes we see it coming and other times it takes us by surprise.

While cleaning files the other day, I found a paper where I had written about my father’s great anger toward me over several issues he had never mentioned before. In fact, he never mentioned them again, but I still wonder what brought that on?

Anger’s bottom line is emotional displeasure. Someone has mistreated us, misinterpreted our intentions, or opposed us in some way. Our first thought is retaliation.

Social media has done many good things. I can’t imagine our world without it, but I’m blown away by how it brings out the worst in so many people.

I’ve seen for myself some of the rabid responses to the most non-controversial postings. I always wonder why do people respond so harshly? Would they say that face-to-face?  I have my doubts.

Is it possible to have peace on social media? I read the other day that we are to forgive even those who have a difference, a grievance, or a complaint against us (Colossians 3:13 AMP).   

My first thought was are you kidding me? Forgiveness seems more important for those who have cheated, lied, or physically hurt me or my family. Then I had another thought.

In middle school, our choir sang, “Let There Be Peace on Earth and Let It Begin With Me.” That message stuck with me.

Can one person really create peace? Try this: Think of one media post as one penny, one hundred pennies add up to a dollar. Spread those pennies out over the world and you have a whole lot of dollars doing good.

Have you been accosted unfairly on social media? Ask yourself, “Is this negative or cutting comment really worth my response?"

Since modern anger seems easily played out in words, perhaps your lack of words (no response) could be a source of peace, even personal peace.

  

Little Diamonds in the Dark

Diamonds can create a lot of excitement, especially an engagement ring. My ring was not large, but it was mine. That’s what made it important to me.

The birth of a natural diamond can begin even one hundred miles below the earth’s surface. Pressure upon pure carbon creates this finite resource. A full-carat diamond is becoming rarer by the day.

It seems to me that babies are like little diamonds in the dark. I’m pretty sure pregnant moms would verify that there’s pressure involved.  

I’ve never been pregnant, but I have great respect for women way beyond the “baby bump!”

Just like diamonds, babies lie in the darkness of their mother’s womb until they are brought to the light. Blessed is each baby whose family and friends look forward to THE birth day.

Birthing babies and mining diamonds both require effort. Raw diamonds come in different sizes and weights, as do infants. Diamonds are graded on four C’s: Carat, Clarity, Color, and Cut.

Newborns are given an Apgar Score. One minute after birth they are tested to see how well they tolerated the birthing process. Preferably no later than five minutes they are tested in five areas: Breathing effort, heart rate, muscle tone, reflexes, and skin color.

Just like a jeweler, parents are expected to shape their little diamonds in the rough.

Solomon gave some advice: “Train up a child in the way he should go (and in keeping with his individual gift or bent) and when he is old he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6, AMP).

The Message Bible simply says, “Point your kids in the right direction---when they’re old they won’t be lost.” This could include spiritual training, education, morals, and manners. It’s important to fit into the society and culture into which you are born.

If you have been blessed with a little diamond in the dark, consider it a treasure. Not everyone gets to have one.

  

Movies and Memories

I think it’s a blessing to have selective memories. Movies are just one way we are reminded of things.

Tonight, for me, it’s a movie where I remember the character, but not the title. Let me explain.

I was moved to tears as the female character was diagnosed with breast cancer. It wasn’t just her medical report, however, it was how she had to walk her journey alone.

I can tell you from experience that it’s a shock to be told, “You have cancer that has spread and you need treatment right away.”

Being told I had Stage Three breast cancer meant I was facing a huge health challenge. But it became even more challenging when, due to an insurance mix-up, I had no access to immediate treatment.

By the time I got an appointment with an oncologist, I also had Inflammatory Breast Cancer (IBC) which is very painful. I was told having both a lump and IBC is not common.

It’s not unusual to count life events before or after pivotal years. For me, that became 2007. I had eight sessions of chemo, a modified radical mastectomy, removal of eighteen lymph nodes, plus nearly seven weeks of radiation.

It’s not hard to thank God for making my treatments work. I’m thankful for His answers to prayer for excellent doctors and technicians.

God’s presence was very real and His word trustworthy. He was the Good Shepherd who walked with me through the valley of the shadow of death (Psalm 23:4).

I experienced His nearness to the brokenhearted (Psalm 34:18). I also experienced hope and joy as I put my trust in Him (Psalm 33:20-22).

Fourteen years have brought many challenges and changes. What has not changed is my source of hope. I still read His word and pray personal prayers on an everyday basis.

Facing tough times? This hope can be yours, too.