For the Father Up Above is Looking Down in Love

  By: Shari A. Miller

"Gracious words are like honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." - Proverbs 16:24

I can remember a children's song that I heard when I was about 6 years old, the name of it was, "O Be Careful, Little Eyes," by Cedarmont Kids. One of the lines of the song went like this:

"O be careful little mouth what you say

O be careful little mouth what you say

There's a Father up above

And He's looking down in love

So, be careful little mouth what you say"

God has been challenging me lately, to make sure that I am careful what I say. Especially in this day and age when tensions are high and we are about to have one of the most important elections that we'll ever see in our life time. It can be so easy to get caught up in it all and feel the need to stomp our foot, demand that others see our point and that others see that our point is indeed the right one. Social media is rife with tension with the us against them mentality; things are being said that would never be said to one another if we were talking with them face to face. I find this so sad and disheartening. 

Have you ever been guilty of this? Guilty of saying something that you shouldn't or liking a post that you shouldn't? I know I have. When I do, God catches me and says, "Is this really something that you should be a part of ?" When I hear His voice I usually say, "You're right Lord." It's then that I go back and fix my mistake. 

When I get sucked into the drama on social media, I try and remember 2 things.

1. Is this how I want to represent Christ?

I never want to disappoint my Lord by saying something that would dishonor Him, or hurt my witness about Him. I want to make sure that I honor Him with my words and actions and not set a bad example.

2. I need to remember that when I say something negative about someone I am talking about a child of God.

Jill Dillard from, "Counting On," recently posted something on her Instagram stories that really hit close to home. You can see it in the picture below.

"Kamala is beloved. Donald is fearfully and wonderfully made. Mike is cherished. Joe is important enough that I died for him." Wow! That statement really makes me stop and think. When we talk negatively about anyone of the people mentioned or anyone else in our lives for that matter, we are not only hurting their character but ours as well. We are far from offering God's grace to those involved when we do this. Instead of talking bad about anyone, let's try to focus on their good points, and if this can't be done, let's try saying nothing at all. 

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."  - Ephesians 4:29

I have found that the best way to keep my heart in check when these situations arise is to take it to the Lord in prayer and to remain in His Word. This helps me to remain in the right frame of mind when I get on social media. It reminds me whose child I am and that I need to act as such.

 

Remember we were created in God's image and it's our job to lift one another up and point them closer to God. It's our job to let others see Jesus living inside us, and have them wonder what that special something is that we have inside us, that's glowing bright for all the world to see.

And remember, that the Father up above is looking down in love, so let's be careful everyone what we say.