Step Up and Hit the Ball

I coached youth baseball for years. One of the most important pieces of equipment for baseball is the bat. Ah, the stories I could tell about baseball bats. I often started with T-Ballers teaching them how to grip a bat, watch the ball, and swing. In higher levels, I helped players learn to bunt and “hit it the other way.” One thing I never taught was how to hit it out of the park (I never learned how to do that myself!). I remember a beautiful line-drive double that my oldest son hit off of the kid of an NBA star (“Pastor’s kid schools millionaire athlete’s kid” the headline should have read!). But I’ve seen other uses, too. Bats slammed on home plate after a whiff. Bats broken on fence poles by frustrated kids. The bat can be pretty much whatever you make it, even a dangerous weapon.

Proverbs 15 shows that we should think of our words the same way. Use your words to make things better. “Soft words” can defuse anger (Verse 1). A tongue that seeks “wholeness” contributes to producing good fruit (Verse 4). Spoken “reproof” is a valuable asset to one who will hear it (Verse 5). Our mouths can “disperse knowledge” (Verse 7), and such “counsel” prevents disappointment–or even worse (Verse 22). In contrast to evil thinking, which is an abomination to the Lord, “the words of the pure are pleasant words” (Verse 26). Put another way, my ability to speak is a sacred trust. Don’t leave that “bat” in the trunk and don’t use it to damage. Our words need to get in the game. Batter up!

Reflective Questions:

1.  Can you remember an example of kind words that deflected anger?

2.  Can you think of examples when angry words just added fuel to the fire?

3.  What is the connection between knowledge and our speech?

Memory Verse:

“A man has joy by the answer of his mouth, and a word spoken in due season, how good it is!” Proverbs 15:23

Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for the reminder of the importance of my words. Help me to speak life and peace to others.