Promise2Pray

I have always suffered from a case of foot-in-mouth disease. At times in my life it has been very bad, but in my later years I seem to be able to control much better. For this reason, there are many times that I have just stood or sat in the corner, not wanting to talk for fear of saying the wrong thing. My morning devotion today is titled "Hold Your Tongue". It is quite remarkable how different things are today then when I first stepped out into the working world in the Spring of 1983. Back then, you may have confided to your best friend or spouse, but you certainly did not put things out in the open for everyone to see.

With the rise of social networking and dare I say blogs, things are different now. My foot-in-mouth usually only served to embarrass me, hence why I went through years of just shutting down in fear. But God commands us in the 8th commandment "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." Think about what this really means. Was God talking about the folks living next door? No, your neighbor is everyone. Martin Luther defines what the 8th commandment means in his Small Catechism. "We should fear and love God that we may not deceitfully belie, betray, slander, or defame our neighbor, but defend him, [think and] speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything." Whether you are Lutheran, Catholic or any another denomination, this definition rings true.

In this world of social networking and open public dialogue, let us all remember one thing. When it was spoken words, it was much easier to correct our errors. When it is written on the Internet it is there to stay (even if you delete it, it most likely still exists somewhere). Is it something you would stand up in front of a large gathering and broadcast? Is it hurtful to yourself or someone else? If you answered no to the first question and yes to the second, please think twice about hitting submit, publish or share.

Pray continually for the strength to reject the temptation to break the 8th commandment. We see everyday in the media how gossip is rampant. Pray that you do not get caught up in the gossip. Just as important, make sure you do not get caught up in the gossip amongst your own circle of family and friends. It can be just as damaging.

Folks, have a great Friday.