July 20, 2022 – Click here to listen
Today is moving day. A friend drove a huge U-Haul truck from the Keys to our new home in Mississippi for us yesterday and he arrived late in the afternoon. Today that truck will be unloaded – Ugh!
I got up early, showered, got dressed and prepared for the day. My wife usually doesn’t get up until much later than I do but after I showered, she showered and got dressed and prepared for the long day. I try to avoid waking her early and was in the guest bathroom and didn’t have a clue that she was up so early. I walked down the hall and saw her standing at the end of the hall, and she immediately loudly said, “Bob it’s me!”
The reason she all but yelled at me was the other day she got up early and thought it would be funny to sneak up on me. My back was turned away from her and she quietly came up behind me and suddenly exclaimed, “Good morning!” I whirled around with fists at the ready and almost hit her. I came so close that it scared us both. I told her to never to sneak up like that on me again. I could have knocked her across the room or worse. I usually carry a handgun and could have shot her.
I’m so glad that I saw her in time to check my swing. (So was she). I will never again have to worry about her sneaking up on me, because ever since that happened, she bellows out, “Bob I’m up!”
I met a guy one time that accidentally ran over and tragically killed his 3-year-old child. He had hopped in his car and was in a hurry to get to work and backed out of his driveway and ran over his son. He simply didn’t see him. Needless to say, he was never the same and grieved his son and drank himself into oblivion most every night.
I’ve had a fear of running over a child ever since and I always carefully check to see if there is the slightest chance a child might be behind me. I cannot conceive of running over any child, much less one of my own.
A friend of mine is treated terribly by his father. It brings back memories of my own father. I know my friend’s father and I truly believe he loves his son, but he cannot seem to refrain from making my buddy miserable. I thought of him this morning and thought how nice it would be if he would just quit tormenting his son and express his true feelings of love for him.
The last thing I want to do is hurt one of my loved ones, or anyone really. I was not always like that, but God made a huge difference in my life. I have learned to “check my swing” and to try my utmost to carefully avoid hurting those whom I love. Make no mistake I would die defending my family and I would go to extremes to avoid hurting one of them.
I say all of this to remind you this morning to check your swing when you are ready to lash out at family or friends. My buddy has started avoiding his father. He is after all a grown man and has his own family and feels he doesn’t want to be anyone’s “whipping boy”. His father probably has not thought through what he is missing in never spending quality time with his son or his grandkids. He is losing much and gaining nothing. Checking his tongue is also advisable. Selah . . .
Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.