Jump Start # 988

2 Kings 6:11-12 “Now the heart of the king of Aram was enraged over this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, ‘Will you tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?’ One of his servants said, ‘No, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.’”

In this O.T. passage, Syria, or Aram, was engaged in war against Israel. The Syrian plans were known by Israel in advance. Long before wire taps or surveillance, the king of Syria thought he had a spy among his people. How else could Israel know his plans? He never factored in that when he was fighting God’s people, he was also fighting against God. The eyes and ears of the Lord knew all that the Syrians were cooking up. Those things were revealed to the prophet Elisha, who went and told the king of Israel. God knew. The king of Syria could whisper and God would hear it. The king could write plans on a piece of paper and then burn the paper, still, God would know. He could just think things and not even tell a soul, God would know. There was no escaping the Almighty God. The Syrian gods were worthless. He never encountered anything like the Almighty God. Jehovah could hear the secrets spoken in the bedroom.

The king of Syria was against a wall. There was no getting around God knowing everything. There was no way he could communicate to his commanders and God not know. Even the most secretive place, the bedroom, where only the most trusted advisors would be allowed in, even there, God knew what was said. The king’s servant attributed Elisha with this knowledge. It was God who knew. How frustrated the Syrian king must have felt. There was nothing that he could do.

The secrets of the king were known. They were known not just to God, but to Elisha, the King of Israel, and Israel’s commanders. His secrets were not secrets at all.

Now all of this leads to two thoughts.

First, what do we do about secrets? Secrets are not secrets anymore. This happening more and more because of cell phones. Just this past week, twice, both times while eating lunch, I was hearing things that were not my business. The first occasion, someone was talking on her cell phone, the entire time I was having lunch. She was loud. That told me right there, that I’m not in favor of cell phones on planes. People can’t talk quietly. She’s looking for a husband, but one that will let her have freedom. I don’t know if in her Christmas shopping, yes I know she was doing that, because I heard what all she bought and how much it costs, she thought there would be an aisle selling husbands. Poor girl. She was clueless and getting bad advice about marriage. I left and she was still on the phone. The second time this week this happened, I was eating my lunch and two former co-workers met and stood by my table and engaged in catch up chit-chat. I learned about a new dog one got, what school their kids were now going to. You might think, you should just mind your own business Roger, I tried to. They were standing right at my table and they were loud. I didn’t know who they were. It dawned on me that many of our secrets are known, not because of prophets and God, but because we talk too loud and do not use discretion. Some of these things are private. Some appear to be gossipy. I don’t know the protocol about such things. My mind tells me to ignore these things the best I can and stick to my business. It seems that if I don’t want people to hear what I am saying, then I need to get to a place where no one can over hear. Some things are private. Some things are no one else’s business. Secrets are not inherently wrong.

Second, even if kept in secret, God knows all. There is no getting around that. The king of Syria found that out. In his bedchamber, God knew. If he went outside, God knew. There was no place that God would not know. The same is true of us. Things whispered, God hears. Things we shouldn’t say, He knows. The most secretive things, even those things texted, God knows.

So, this leads us to understand that if it is not helpful, healthy, good, why say it, write it or even think it? Dump the thought before it becomes spoken. Trash bad ideas, hurtful feelings of revenge, mean things. If the God of Heaven and Earth could hear what the Syrian king was saying in his bedroom, you know for certain, that He can hear what you are whispering on your cell phone.

There are three areas that I find this tripping the people of God. This comes from observation, and I see it everywhere.

First, senior citizens. It seems that once a person retires, that gives them the right to be a grump. Some really excel at being grumpy. I’m not there yet, and maybe my tune will change, especially if I hurt all day and just feel lousy, but complain and gripe and negative seem to be the new trinity for older Christians. Not all are this way. Some are just sweeter and sweeter as the years go by. Some have every reason to be grumpy but they are not. They have chosen, in spite of how they feel, what attitude and what disposition they will carry. But then there are others. Sour, mean, grumpy and trying to follow Jesus. God hears that mumbling. It’s time for a change of heart.

Second, high school and college girls. They can be mean toward others. They can say ugly things that just hurts another girl. Cliches, ignoring and avoiding, cheap trash talking and a lot of this taking place while sitting in a pew with friends before church services begin. Come on! Don’t you think God hears that? Do you think you’d like to be the one that others are trashing? Have we forgotten Jesus?

Third, when someone has done a disservice to us. The product failed. The flight was cancelled. The line is long. The worker doesn’t know what he is talking about. They brought the wrong food or it is cold. You know what I’m talking about. We all have been there. Does that give us the right to throw away everything the Bible says about shining our light, being kind and allows us to unleash the demons of meanness because we were inconvenienced or wronged? Do the principles of Christianity only apply when things go our way? Is that what turn the other cheek means?

God sees. God hears. We are not presenting a good cause for Christianity when we act like a selfish child of Satan. So you came out on the short end? So, it costs you? So, it messed up your day? It seems that we need to get over ourselves and put Christ first, in all things, at all times.

If we remembered that God hears what was even spoken in the bedroom, I think we’d be much more guarded and careful with what we said. God wants us to speak with seasoned speech. We need to bring glory to the Lord in all that we do.

Be careful little mouth what you say…

And in a modern twist, be careful little fingers what you text and tweet…

Roger