Thoughts for the devotionals we are called upon to share can come to us in many ways. Sometimes, it's a song, a poem that we read, a story we hear about on the news, or a random act of kindness shared by someone to another. Well, the thought for this week's devotional message came to me from my daughter. It was entitled "Nails In the Fence", and it had been forwarded to her by a friend. The message struck a chord with me because for those of us who enjoy the "Mother-Daughter" relationship "communications", even with the greatest of intentions, they can at times not go as planned. So, the bottomline message of the e-mail that Chelsea forwarded to me was such a good one that I thought it was one worthy of sharing with all of you because it's a reminder worthy of making a part of the fabric of our being.
The piece itself did not give any scriptural reference (not unusual because we know that the world frequently borrows/steals from Him and just doesn't give Him the credit, huh?) but it so reminded me of the message in James, Chapter 3 - "Taming the Tongue". Therein, we are told that "the tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by Hell." (James 3:6) I can think of several recent situations where the hurt and harmful effects of unkind words spoken unnecessarily challenged relationships, when "kinder/gentler/loving" communication would have been the best (God's) way to handle the perceived issues. I am sure that you yourselves can think of numerous instances, probably involving yourself, that you have said things to a person you love, in anger or frustration, that you wish you could take back, but once said, the damage was done. You've heard the expression that "a bell once rung cannot be unrung."
With all of that having been said, you're probably wondering what "Nails In the Fence" says, so enjoy reading it below, and embrace it as a life lesson for the "day", "week", "month", "year", - "your life". If the message convicts you, please feel free to pass it on to someone you love with the following request as the piece ended- "Please forgive me if I have ever left "a hole" in "your fence."
Wishing you a blessed weekend in fellowship with fellow believers at your Church home.
Love In Him,
Charlotte
Nails in the Fence
There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence.
The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence.. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence. Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all.
He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper.
The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.
The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one.. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. But It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound will still be there. A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Remember that friends are very rare jewels, indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us."
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