Enough is enough and I’ve had enough!!!!
Y I K E S!!!
TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY. Those were the words my brothers and I heard often growing up. It was the moment we had gotten on my mom’s last nerve and what was coming next was not good. It is what I said to my own boys when they got on my last nerve and what was coming next was not good. In reality what we were saying is, “I am full and about to explode, and this isn’t going to be pleasant for anyone.”
Whether you actually said those exact words or not, I am sure that you can relate to the explosion that was about to take place. It’s that moment your parents use your full name. That is why we have middle names, right? Middle names are used as a warning alarm, like the siren when there is bad weather, before things go
S O U T H.
Seriously, has anyone ever used your full name followed by delightful news? Maybe graduation but that’s it. I am sure you’ve been there and felt the fury on an occasion or maybe more occasions than you would like to admit. Generally, that moment of explosion was fueled by several previous moments. It may begin with a little agitation, not enough rest, pressure from a number of sources and it just builds and builds and builds until finally
B O O M ! ! !
Now there is a big mess to cleanup. When anger and frustration explode the cleanup is never pretty no matter which side of the explosion you are on.
My “Word” this week is FULL. I can feel pretty certain that most of us never start a day or even a moment planning too, hoping for the opportunity too, pour out unpleasantries on anyone least of all our families. Unfortunately, that might be the case if we don’t carefully plan what we will be full of.
Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.
(Proverbs 4:23)
What pours out is a tale tale sign of what we are full of. When I blow up a balloon or a float what leaks out will be what I filled it with, air. So, when I get a prick, a tiny hole, what’s inside will leak out. Sometimes when the pressure becomes intent, what is inside comes out not in a leak but an explosion. What do I expect will come out in those intent moments when my current circumstance is anything but desirable? If I am about to reveal my heart, what do I want that to look like? Do I want to be in control of what fills up my heart or do I want to grant outside access to determine that?
That very first word in Proverbs 4:23 is key. Keep means to guard from dangers, blockade, protect, to watch. Not every comment, not every person, not every issue should be granted access to our hearts. If we allow a tone of voice, offense, disrespect to come in it will come back out just like it came in. Just like air in a balloon. The air does not change to water and the insult, offense, disrespect isn’t going to be something different when it comes back out. It also takes up space that could better used for something worthwhile. God was well aware of this concept of what comes in comes out in the same form. That is why He told us that a soft answer turns away wrath. But how do you do that? You filter the stuff that comes into your heart. It has to meet certain criteria before it enters. If it doesn’t measure up, access denied.
For out of it spring the issues of life means it reveals the source of life. What comes out reveals the source of fuel. Are you satisfied with your source of life? Are you satisfied with the source of fuel? Is the outflow of your heart meeting your expectations? Can you be proud of the outflow? If not, it is time to
R e S e t
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