I Put My Foot In My Mouth

Recently, I received a traffic ticket. By the way just in case you didn't know, when a police car is on the side of a 4-lane road with its blue lights activated, you MUST change lanes if you can. I usually do, but I had no idea it was a law. It's a law alright: $166 worth! I procrastinated until the final 24 hours to pay the ticket. On the ticket, there was printed a website I could go on to pay the ticket On-line. But, that service was not yet working for my county. Figures! Then there was a number I could call for information. Of course there was no real person on the other end as it was totally automated. The info said I could pay by cash, cashier's check, MasterCard, or VISA. So after 30 minutes of driving around the courthouse, in the pouring rain, trying to find a parking place, I finally was on my way inside to get this ticket taken care of once and for all. The clerk said, "May I help you?" That's when the real circus began!

As I walked up to her and handed her the ticket, she asked if I wanted to pay it. "Yes", I told her. She ran it through the computer and then told me the amount, $166. As I pulled out my VISA card, she told me, "We don't take VISA in this office. We only take credit cards through our automated 1-800 number. Getting very frustrated, I informed her that the number was not working for Houston County. She replied, "I don't have anything to do with that, you must pay here with cash or a Cashier's Check", of which I had neither. So I had to leave the office, go back out in the pouring rain, go to the bank, come back and drive around for another 30 minutes trying to find a parking place, and go back inside and do it all over again! I was furious! And I let her know all about my frustrations too. I embarrassed myself with the near-scene I was causing. As I was ranting and raving at her, she noticed my name. She then said something that stopped my dead in my tracks. She said, "Oh, I read your Christian devotions everyday...I love 'em." Needless to say, I wanted to simply melt into the floor. God puts us in situations to Glorify Him. I failed miserably yesterday. Please take my advice: God is testing us. Please don't let Him down like I did.

Proverbs 14:17 says, "He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly."

Father, forgive me for acting like a fool. Help me to do better next time. I am embarrassed and ashamed. In Jesus name, Amen.

Sticks And Stones

I once heard a story about a young boy who had an awful temper. To teach him to control it, his father gave him 100 nails and told him every time he lost his temper to go out and drive a nail into their white picket fence. The very first day, he drove 35 nails in the fence. The next day, he only had to put half as many nails in it. With each passing day, he used less nails as he learned to control his temper more. He found that it was easier to control his temper than it was to go outside and drive a nail. His dad then told him that each time he was able to control his temper to go outside and pull a nail out of the fence. The day finally came when all the nails had been pulled from the fence. The dad took the boy outside and said you have done a great job controlling your temper, but look at all these ugly holes in our pretty fence.

When we lose our temper, we can say some very hurtful things to people. It is like driving a nail into their heart. Oh sure, we can ask for their forgiveness, and may even get it from them. But those scars don't ever go away. Just think back to something somebody may have said to you out of anger. I'm sure you forgave them, but you can't forget it can you? Let this be a lesson to us to hold our anger in check. Or at least if we do lose our temper, we need to be extra careful what we say to people. Our tongues can be a very power thing. Let's make sure we are using it only to praise others, and not cut them down.

James 3:9 says, "Sometimes it praises our Lord and father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God."

Father, please help us to control our tongues. We can do mighty things with it. Please help us to only use it for good. In Jesus name, Amen.