Premature Truths

Paul thinks it's hilarious to tickle me until I can't breathe.  I, on the other hand, find this torturous, and usually spout out some kind of threat.    A couple nights ago, I spouted off jokingly, and Paul said something along the lines of "If you do that, I'll tickle you until you can't breathe."    I responded with, "Don't threaten me!" and he said, "That wasn't a threat.  It was a premature truth."    

We have been laughing about that statement since, but at the same time it's been nagging me.    You see, a few weeks ago, we had a guest speaker at church, and he was speaking about the things we say.     We've all heard the verse "let your yes be yes, and your no be no."   In other words, say what you mean and mean what you say.   Simple enough, right?

Confession:   I often speak way before I think.

I really like to think that when I promise something, I follow through and keep my promise, or that when I say something, I am honest in my communication.    I think that as a whole, most people fall into that category.    But what if it's more than following through on our promises?    

Proverbs 18:21 tells us that "death and life are in the power of the tongue."     Our words have power, significant power.    Have you ever met someone who seems to "always have things going wrong"?   If you talk to them very long, you will hear them say things "I just can't get ahead," or "Why are bad things always happening to me?" or "I wonder what's gonna happen next."    Or what about someone who seems to be sick all the time?  At the first symptom, you hear them say "I'm coming down with the flu," or "I bet I get that same bronchitis my son had."     If you have ever had your feelings hurt, I guarantee you it is most often because of words.  Who hasn't had a parent or teacher tell us that "you'll never be good enough" or "you just aren't smart enough" or "that you shouldn't dance like that"? 

Of course, it's not only death that is held in the tongue.   We also have life.   This is a very God-like quality.    The very beginning of the Bible shows us that God spoke and the world was created.   Words are creative in nature.    

Words fuel the thoughts in our heads.   Thoughts fuel our beliefs.    Beliefs fuel our actions.     In essence, every word we speak becomes a "premature truth".    If this is the case, then I certainly want to watch my words more closely.   Instead of calling someone that cut me off a jerk, maybe I will bless them with patience.    Instead of getting frustrated with that screaming kid's mom, maybe I will declare that her children will rise up and call her blessed.   Instead of saying "I'm not good enough", maybe I will declare that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."    Instead of calling those nations' leaders "crazy warlords that should all be nuked", maybe I'll bless them as kings that have been put in place by God, and call forth His purpose.    

While we can't control every single thing that happens to us, I would wager an entire paycheck that we could change a lot of our circumstances simply by remembering that our words are "premature truths".   And not just our own circumstances, but imagine how the world would change!   What "truth" are you declaring over your life, your family, your job, your city, your nation, your world?  

"I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live."  ~Deut 30:19