My Name is May!

 

“But no man can tame the tongue. It is unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessings and coursings. My brethren, these things ought not to be so,” (James 3:8-10, NKJV)

 

Several years ago, my wife, Miriam, was invited to help at a Wedding Shower for the daughter of one of our church’s pastors. She was a close friend of the pastor’s wife and was happy to help. She worked in the kitchen preparing the food and then helped serve the quests until everyone was served and she could take a short break. She took her plate and sat at a table with a vacancy that had two ladies from our church she knew and two ladies she did not know who were from out of town and the groom’s family.

 

  The two ladies evidently were related and hadn’t seen each other for a long time and were having a good time catching up on the news from each other’s family. The older of the two ladies was a little heavy and was obviously a very outspoken person who was not afraid to give her opinion about any subject. The younger lady proceeded to tell her about a relative that had just had a baby girl. The older lady asked her what name the little girl had been given and she answered, “her name is May.” Immediately the older lady let it be known in a loud voice what she thought about that name. “May! May! Are you kidding? Who in their right mind would saddle a little baby girl with the name May? That is so old fashioned and ugly!

 

Miriam knew that the grandmother of the bride was in the other room next door and her name was May.  I am not sure exactly what Miriam’s thoughts were, but she immediately got up, walked around the table to the older lady and said, “My name is May! She then walked back around the table and sat down and resumed eating lunch. The two ladies Miriam knew looked at her with surprise and confusion. The older lady was totally speechless and couldn’t say a word. The younger lady proceeded to chastise her and say, “See, there goes your big mouth saying whatever comes into your head! You have offended this lady! What are you going to say now?

Finally, after a few moments and the older lady had still not been able to utter a word of apology or anything, Miriam got up again, walked around the table and said to her: “Gotcha!” Miriam then went to sit down and saw that the older lady was getting angry, and in fact, was getting angrier and angrier! She still hadn’t said anything but was making noises like she was about to explode! “Ah! Ahh! Ahhh!” Miriam decided that discretion was the better part of valor and got up went to the kitchen to retrieve her pocketbook and left for home. She told me nothing about this incident until the wedding.

 

We entered the church and had just finished signing the guest book when we saw and heard two big men running down the hallway and one of them was saying in a loud voice: “Where is she? Where is the Mexican? I immediately turned to Miriam and said, “What have you done now?” She replied: “I’ll tell you later.” Soon the men were upon us and the first one reached for Miriam’s hand to shake it and said, “I just want to shake your hand, you are the first person that has ever been able to shut our aunt up. The other one chimed in, “Thank you for doing what no one in our family has ever had the courage to do! (Wow, I thought to myself, this is going to be a good story!)

 

Have you ever gotten yourself in trouble by opening your mouth and inserting your foot? I am going to guess that you have as I have also. The Bible has many admonitions about thinking before we speak, or to wait for passions or foul moods to pass instead of saying the first thing that comes into our mind. Are we saying things that build up and not tear down? Are we considering the persons feelings and the anguish they may be enduring as you give them a piece of your mind. Am I thinking only of my pain and not considering the other person’s pain? In other words, am I allowing the Holy Spirit to guide my tongue or am I allowing my carnal self to speak?

 

“So then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:29)

“In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” (Proverbs10:19)

“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24)

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” (Ephesians 4:29-30)

 

PRAY

 

1)        Lord, help me to always think first of the effect my words will have upon those who are listening to me today.  Give me a sensitive heart and patience to wait if I am not sure of how my words will fall on others’ ears.

2)        Help me today to remember that I am an “Ambassador for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) and my job is to represent You in all I say and do.

3)        Help me to remember the wise advice of my father who was fond of saying: “It is better to be silent and thought a fool, than to open your mouth and leave no doubt.”