I woke with a song in my head, and its presence reminded me of the friend I first heard it with. I laughed at the thought that if she knew I was away on vacation, she'd surely ask me to bring her back a rock for her collection. She likes to collect rocks from far-away places.
A passage I'd just read in John chapter eight came to my mind - the story of the woman who was caught in adultery, surrounded now by people with rocks in their hands, ready to throw at her. And when Jesus told them that only he who had never sinned could throw the first rock, one by one the people dropped their rocks and went away. The only One worthy to stone her was not willing to.
My life is built upon one Rock and guided by the ultimate "word" - the Word of God. In its pages I find that rocks are used for two purposes - to build altars for sacrifice or memorials, or to throw at people to kill them. And surely words can have the same two functions - to build up or tear down. We can choose which way our words are used. Likewise unworthy to hurl a stone at anyone else, before I speak then I need to mine for words in the quarry of the same that will build the other person up or instruct them in some way, casting aside those that will wound them or tear them down as just so much mining debris.
Later that same day I did find rocks that made me think again of my friend, amazingly each with a word cut into the face of the stone! All of the fruits of the Spirit were represented - love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control. - as well as several other words that represented positive thoughts. Sadly, I couldn't afford to buy one to send to her - they were costly little items. Neither are the fruits of the Spirit available for purchase - they're priceless! - but they come freely after one has accepted the free gift of salvation - eternal life in Jesus Christ.
If I can't send her physical rocks to build up her collection, I can heave a few well-chosen written ones in her direction. In this case it's life, not death, that's just a stone's throw away.
"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach
and admonish one another with all wisdom..."
(Colossians 3:16 NIV)
and admonish one another with all wisdom..."
(Colossians 3:16 NIV)
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yes those words are weightier than any rocks--nice post as always :)
ReplyDeleteAnother most worthy post. I am a rock hound, so this resonated with me. I've never had a rock that was visibly written upon, so all of them are just rocks, yet contain memories of my trips. Your post made me think of the rocks still lying around the holy land:many of them probably stoned someone, even Stephen. Wow! Thanks for your marvelous witness for our Lord and Savior. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteOh, and thank you for you sweet message to me on my blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Elaine. Wonderful post. Perhaps you could give her a framed copy of the picture in your post?
ReplyDelete