This is why working without a net is so dangerous!

It is Wednesday, February 17, 2010 and I am grasping for a good topic this morning. I know what you are thinking. Being unable to find a good topic has never kept me from pounding on the keyboard before. I read a quote the other day that said, "Show me a man who is a good loser and I'll show you a man who plays golf with his boss." We would have to say that we all do spend a fair amount of time choosing our words and actions carefully around certain people. We've been doing that our entire lives. I can remember one episode back in the day when my mom was away one evening taking a typing course up at the local high school. My grandmother was out of town and we kids were left there with my grandfather. We were acting very reserved and quiet but when he went to take his evening bath, I and my brother Donald and baby sister Kayla decided to turn the living room furniture into a diving competition. We were very careful to make sure he was in the bathroom but my grandfather had a sixth sense about things and you might know that while I was in mid air off the end of the sofa he caught me with that huge wide belt about three times before I landed on the cushions. There he stood all red faced and holding his khakis together with one hand. Even in mid air I came to fully realize that thinking you have someone fooled is certainly different than having someone fooled. Ouch!

But let's face it, we do play our little games, don't we? I read this past week some input from folks who were discussing the role of gossip in our world today. Some said there is good gossip and then there is bad gossip. Good gossip is likely untrue but it's not hateful or degrading. It's just fun stuff. Bad gossip is the kind that picks on people and runs them down. These were young people talking about the information that flies forth and back on Facebook but I didn't see any comments about telling the truth. The Bible has much to say about this subject. Jesus said that we should let our yes be yes and our no be no and anything more than this comes from the evil one. (See Matthew 5:37, the Sermon on the Mount.) Ouch again even without Paw Paw Mac's big belt! We are also instructed not to show partiality among people. This, of course, does not mean we are not to give honor to those who deserve that honor, but we are to be genuine in our communication and interaction with all people based on respect and consideration.

Being tactful is also a part of our calling since needlessly hurting someone for no good reason would be cruel. The late Dr. Adrian Rogers pointed out that finding good wholesome words to express truth in communicating with people based on a Godly concern for them is much better than to call it like it is in order to humiliate and shame them. Finding the balance is where we slip and slide around most of the time. We've all been around people who drive us up the wall in how they flatter and fawn over the boss when they are in the room. Often these very same people say terrible things about the boss behind their back. Do we, in one way or another, do the same thing? There are actual learning tools available that teach one how to suck up to the boss without appearing to suck up to the boss. How sad. But if we are not careful we can fall into the trap of playing word games ourselves especially as it relates to certain people we seek to have on our side. (See James Chapter 2 regarding showing partiality.) My philosophy, that is, when I have my head screwed on right, and my heart in the right place, is to allow my word to be my bond, and allow my work to speak for itself. That doesn't keep me from always wondering what score I would have gotten on that masterful dive except I would probably have never heard it for all the screaming. I was very glad it wasn't Kayla, but it could have been Donald and we would have all learned the same lesson. Have a blessed day! Amen. ....More later.