Thought for the Day - Saturday 12 September

 Thought for the Day – Saturday 12^th September

‘Even the sweetest of songs is as vinegar poured on a wound to one who is heavy in heart.’ (Proverbs 25: 20)

 

Have you ever said the wrong thing at the wrong time and then felt yourself cringe or curl up in embarrassment as you realise you have gone and put your foot in it again?

 Sometimes this happens through no fault of our own because we are unaware of the delicate or sensitive nature of a situation.

 However, at other times there is no such excuse because our gaffe is usually due to us opening our mouths without thinking about what we are actually saying – or as some would say we engage our mouth before our brain!

 Occasionally it can happen because we are so full of our own news during a conversation that we don’t actually listen to what the other person is saying!

 Perhaps at times we are even so busy thinking about how we will respond to someone before they have actually started to speak and so as a result blurt out totally irrelevant words.

Is it any wonder then that we can end up saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and causing upset!

 In reality, sensitivity is not something possessed by only a select few – sensitivity comes from being a good listener and a thoughtful, slow to speak speaker.

 I have never poured vinegar on a wound but I can imagine it would be very painful – particularly to someone ‘heavy in heart’ or in great pain already – so while no doubt we will occasionally say the wrong thing at the wrong time, for after all we are only human, let us try our hardest to make it a rare occurrence by being good listeners and thoughtful considerate speakers!

 

Prayer

 Loving Lord,

In all our interactions with others give us a listening ear, a sensitive nature and a considerate tongue. Help us to take time to think before we speak and try always to be encouraging in our words and Lord, when we do realise we have been less than sensitive give us an awareness of this and help us to do all we can to restore our relationships. We ask these things in Jesus’ name. Amen.