From the Mouth of A Clown

Matthew 15:11 It’s not what goes into the mouth that contaminates a person in God’s sight. It’s what comes out of the mouth that contaminates the person.

It’s festival time here in the Midwest, every small town and even some of the bigger towns around the area shut down main street or the town square to put up canvas booths filled with all sorts of things. From politicians (inset your best joke here) to hand-made crafts.  Oh, and then there’s the food.

Now I’ll admit I’m not going to win any awards for my eating habits, but I’ve started working on the idea that I should eat a bit healthier. That said, I’ll repeat it IS festival time and with that comes funnel cakes.  I don’t know what it is about a funnel cake, but I struggle to resist.

Anyway, my wife and I were walking around taking in the sites and the funnel cake when we came across this guy in a dunk tank. He was that typical obnoxious guy, dressed kind of funny and spreading insults to people as they passed by the tank.  As I approached, I saw him and he saw me as I was taking a bite of the powdered sugar covered fried dough.  I cringed to wait on the venom he was going to fling my way, and sure enough out it came.  For whatever reason it really hit me to the bone, but we continued on and as we passed him, I handed my wife the remainder of the funnel cake and told her I was done.

Later that evening when I had a little time to myself, I thought about what he’d said and I thought to myself “I can’t believe someone could say something so hurtful! I could never say anything like that.”  My thoughts moved on to some of the conversations I’ve been a part of recently.  I don’t lack in opinion and am not afraid to share those opinions.  Up until this point, I’d actually be proud of the fact that I’d speak my mind – not really sugar-coating the truth.  All at once it dawned on me, while I’ve not used phrases flung out by the clown in the dunk tank, the words and tones I had used were just as, if not more, hurtful because of the people to whom I’d spoken them.

I know I don’t always realize what’s coming out of my mouth and I’d wager that most men are the same way. I’d be pretty confident in saying further that we all wish we could somehow suck back in about 50% of what we say.  Well, we can’t, but we can be a bit more deliberate when we speak – think just a bit harder about the words and the tones we use.  Instead of trying to use our words to lift up our position and prove ourselves right, we can be a light for God and our words can lift others so that they may reach out and touch His hand.

“God, help me to not be a clown, but to be a platform and a light to guide others to Your loving embrace. Amen”