Don’t Get It! An Unidentified Disease! Edit

By Dr. Alice Maria Crawford |  Reprint from October 3, 2020 (This bears repeating.)

There is a disease running rampant in our nation. No, it is worst than Covid-19 for it has an effect that is worst than death. The CDC has not identified it, neither does  the World Health Organization know of it. What is this strange disease that is attacking countless numbers of people unawares; it is something the old folks used to call “foot in mouth” disease. You see, it is not a new phenomenon, it’s been around for a very long time, but because the effects of the disease don’t show up right away, it tends to be ignored until it’s too late:

“You serpent’s brood, how can you say anything good out of your evil hearts? For a man’s words depend on what fills his heart. A good man gives out good—from the goodness stored in his heart; a bad man gives out evil—from his store of evil. I tell you that men will have to answer at the day of judgment for every careless word they utter—for it is your words that will acquit you, and your words that will condemn you.” Matthews 12:37 (PHILLIPS)

Our divided nation is experiencing an epidemic of this disease, everyone, even little children have been infected. Symptoms range from speaking out words that have no proof, to actually the affected experiencing such rage that a diatribe of expletives fall from their lips. The expressions flow from a heart that has become bitter from disappointment, or anger or hatred against a person, place, or thing.

There is also something that the old folks used to say about this disease – be careful what you say because what goes around has a way of coming back around. I am certainly a witness to this. Growing up in the turbulent sixties, I, like so many of my contemporaries had an opinion about almost everything, and was not afraid to give it! I also had an innate confidence that everything ​I said was not only right but factual! 

For awhile I seemed to be getting away with it. But how many of you know, no one gets away forever? Soon I began to see a pattern, where the very things that I expressed about others were beginning to happen to me. And the way that I thought they should have handled those things, I found that I was making a far greater mess of things than those I had such strong opinions about how they should have done it! Talk about walking a mile in someone’s shoes! Yes, I began to be trapped in my own words and my fancy opinions. I was a Christian by this time and the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit began to teach me to be far more careful in what I said about others, and far more mindful of taking care of my own business.

Also, it was like little Sunday school songs began to get my attention, songs like this:

O be careful little eyes what you see
O be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you seeO be careful little ears what you hear
O be careful little ears what you hear
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little ears what you hearO be careful little tongue what you say
O be careful little tongue what you say
For the Father up above
Is looking down in love
So, be careful little tongue what you say…

Can I get an Amen?

Maria