Matthew 12:36

 But I say unto you, That every idle word that man shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement.
Matthew 12:36
 
We have been following a certain study in my Sunday school class.

 I have to say that I have been so blessed by the ladies in this class. I am the youngest in the class by at least 25 years, however...I so enjoy the time I spend with these Seasoned Christian Women. We laugh together, cry together and let the Bible step on our toes together.

This particular verse stepped on a lot of toes last weekend.


 I guess I always knew this verse was there...and I guess I knew it's meaning...but it never really truly hit me. So many of my words are idle or unkind or just totally unnecessary. It is a habit..and a hard one to break.

 All of us agreed that we would be standing in line for a very long time when it was our turn to stand in account for all of those idle words we had spoken. Joking aside, the fact of what I will already have to stand to be accounted for already hurts my own heart. I can't imagine how it will be when the Lord recounts them for me. I realize He is a loving and gentle father, but no one likes to be corrected.

 I took this study with me in my mind and my heart this week. I have done my best to apply it to my life, and to my children's lives.


 We all had a long talk about thinking before we speak and also about how they have been treating each other. It had been laid on my heart recently, that I had unintentionally turned a blind eye to some of their bickering. Thinking that they were old enough to start learning to figure out their differences on their own. I was mistaken. The bickering had gotten out of hand.

I had been praying about it, then two things happened.

1.  My Sunday school teacher taught on this verse Sunday.

2.  I read this article that my friend, Jenny, over at Unremarkable Files, wrote.

It really helped me to put into action what I had been feeling, thinking and praying about.

 It will probably take us a while to relearn this lesson and to remember to always speak and act in kindness towards our brothers and sisters... figuratively and literally.

 I have been stepping into many conversations between my children this week. Reminding them and guiding them in their words. Which has also been making me think and work on how I am speaking as well.
 By Thursday evening I was emotionally worn out. It will be worth it. It is all worth it. God is never finished working on us. 
 But that is the whole point, right?

He is still working on us. He isn't giving up on us.

Blessings...

~Lyndsay