Exaggeration

The one who states his case first seems right, until the other comes and examines him – Proverbs 18:17 (ESV)

Do you have a tendency to exaggerate? I think a lot of us do these days. You know, you have a bad day, but you say something like: This is the worst day ever!

Your children misbehave when out in public and you find yourself thinking: I have the worst behaved children in the world!

You wake up with back pain and you tell your friends: My back is killing me!

People do this kind of thing all the time! Joe expresses an opinion. Bob recognizes an important point that Joe overlooked. But rather thank talking about the different points, Bob tells someone that Joe is an idiot.

Or how about this one which is quite common during an election season such as the one we are in now: Group A says that Group B is CRAZY because they voted for a particular candidate. or because they support a particular position.

Joe is not an idiot because he has a different opinion from Bob. Group B is not crazy because they voted for this person or that person. And we need to stop talking in such ways.

Proverbs reminds us to examine what we and others say. Yeah, at first that exaggeration might seem funny and harmless. Maybe it feels good to get something off your chest using an exaggeration. But when we begin to examine what we are saying through an exaggeration, we so often find that it’s just plain wrong or unkind or over the top.

God uses words to create light and life – and we should do the same. If our exaggerations tear down, denigrate and disregard other people who are God’s children, then we are not following Christ through our speech. Christ ate with people, encouraged people, healed people, invited people, and loved people. But he most certainly did not tear them down, call them names or make fun of them using exaggerations and hyperboles!

So, we need to attend relentlessly to the words we speak over others. We need to think before we speak. We need to encourage. We need to invite. We need to ask questions. We need to understand. And, to put a twist on an old saying, we need to say something that Christ would say or say nothing at all.

Miss Sunday’s Message?

Read or listen to Pastor Jason’s message: Can We Talk? From Communication To Conversation

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This Week at Hood…

Tuesday, February 4 – 6:30 pm – DWM (Disciples Women) meeting in the Fellowship Hall
Wednesday, February 5 – 1:30 pm – Prayer & Bible Study Small Group
Wednesday, February 5 – 6:30 pm – Choir Practice
Thursday, February 6 – 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm – Pastor Jason at Inspirational Grounds for Drop-In Coffee & Conversation
Thursday, February 6 – 3:00 pm – Ladles of Love Meal Preparation & Delivery
Friday, February 7 – 6:00 pm – Valentine’s VBS Pizza Party @ Pizza Inn – Invite a neighbor and join us for pizza, singing, dancing, and learning about God’s love
Sunday, February 9 – 10:00 am – Sunday Morning Small Group
Sunday, February 9 – 11:00 am – Worship – Sermon: “Can We Talk? The Truth Between Us”

Coming Events…

Friday, February 14 – 6:00 pm – Valentine’s Banquet (email or call the church to sign-up)