I once saw a child speak.
His voice was squeaky.
His manner unsure.He told a story that seemed to have no bearing on anything.
His connections to the Bible were poor at best, tragic at worst.
His lesson made little sense, and I struggled to follow it.
I struggled to listen to the beautiful story lurking below the surface of his message.
Even if his speech wasn’t good, I had to admit that his heart was.
I had spoken that morning.
I spoke with force.
and power.I had a forceful message that made you think.
I spoke with passion and moving words.
He spoke with the words of God.
“If I speak
in the tongues of men and of angels,but have not love,
I am only a resounding gong
or a clanging cymbal.”God have mercy on me.
God have mercy on me.
those of you who know me closely know that pride is one of those nasty little things i struggle with. often. this might have been one of the first times i really recognized it.
the kid was terrible. he really was. most 8 year olds (or however old he was) are. i’m sure i was too. but what a beautiful heart, standing and speaking about something he loved – Jesus.
it was a shot across the bow, really – the first of many that God has sent me, and no doubt the last.
i am not all that. and for all the talent I have been given, if my heart is not in the right place and i am not constantly aware of my relation to a holy and perfect God, then anything i say is worthless. if i do not have love and cannot subjugate myself to others in order to do what it takes to love them, then all i’m doing is making noise.
and that’s hard for a person like me. even now, it’s something I struggle with. but it’s a part of my journey.
God have mercy on me.
God have mercy on me.