Flighty Words!

It is amazing to watch birds flitting this way and that, appearing to be ready to land, but then fluttering away again. With fascination I have watched barn swallows as they would circle, swoop, dive, shoot up quickly toward the sky and then back down, darting about, but not coming to rest. I’ve even had them circle close to my feet. Sometimes birds fluttering about appear as if they are going to roost, but then suddenly fly away. It is as if they check out the spot and then decide it is not the place to rest.

Solomon encouraged…
“Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, A CURSE THAT IS CAUSELESS DOES NOT ALIGHT.” ( Proverbs 26:2 ESV)

Words and statements by others can hurt and hurt deeply. Nevertheless, there are times when we just have to let some statements people make go over our head. People often speak rashly or out of anger. We may not deserve their words and the one who has spoken them may even regret them later. However, there is a certain sense of calm we can retain when we know we are innocent of a groundless charge.

This proverb of Solomon is similar to the English proverb, “Curses, like young chickens, always come home to roost.” There are times when people make misguided judgments and statements or accuse without cause, only to eventually have those words come back on themselves. Such was mentioned in a prayer of David regarding his accusers. ( Psalm 109:16-20)

Solomon advised…
“(21) DO NOT TAKE TO HEART ALL THE THINGS THAT PEOPLE SAY, lest you hear your servant cursing you. (22) Your heart knows that many times you have yourself cursed others.” ( Ecclesiastes 7:21-22 ESV)

Some things we need to just let go! We know the condition of our relationship to God. We know full well what our motives are as we interact with others. When we have been cursed or wrongly criticized by another, the words (like the birds) may even flit here and there between people for a while, but as we live uprightly the charge will eventually fly away as it is found to be untrue. Because the charge is groundless it will have no place to land.

Have a great day LETTING RIGHTEOUS LIVING ANSWER OUR CRITICS!
Carl

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