Meditations Monday: Building Others Up

Dear Lord; Happy Meditations Monday Father!

First off Lord, I want to begin the week by thanking You for all the Blessings You granted us this past weekend.  The medication the veterinarian put Merlin on seems to have abated the seizures, and although the effects are still taking their toll, he’s made a marked improvement.  Saturday night Shannon got to go out with her mother and uncle to see a musical production of “Kiss Me Kate” held at Longwood Gardens, and the boys and I got some time to “hang out” and do some fun cooking with friends.  And Sunday after church we delivered Jonathan to Kay’s Kamp for his week away, and then spent the rest of the day relaxing together at home.  All in all Father, it was a wonderful weekend’s respite and I thank You for that time!

Today’s Meditations Monday Scripture comes from Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians, Chapter 4:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. – Ephesians 4:29 (NIV)

You got me this morning on this one Lord.  Driving into work I was running a little behind and the car in front of me was crawling along a bit under the speed limit…

“I wish these people would learn how to drive!” I exclaimed.

“Phil… You know better.” You whispered back.

Busted.

You’ve actually been correcting me along these lines quite a bit lately Father, and it’s been humbling as to how often I find myself saying or thinking unkind or unflattering things about other people.  I allow personal frustrations such as being a little late for work to set the tone in my head, and like a weed in a flower bed the negative feelings spread to the rest of my thoughts.  Little moments like this morning’s outburst, although no one was there to hear it (except You of course…), still serve to poison our spirit and can further affect other parts of our lives.

Thankfully, Your gentle reminders to keep my mood in check have helped me to make a positive change in that respect.  There is however, certainly still room for improvement, as this morning’s experience displayed.  🙂

Heavenly Father, as we begin this new week please help us to shine Your Light to those around us, not mire them in the grey clouds of our own inner conflicts.  Our words are powerful influencers Lord, and I pray that You guide our usage of them to best encourage and support Your Children.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. – James 1:19-20 (NIV)

Amen.

~Phather Phil