"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."

"The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook."
Proverbs 18:4

Floating in deep waters can be very uncomfortable. We often cannot see what is beneath us, what might be lurking near us or what might be circling; hence uneasiness and discomfort. The same can be said of words and how words are used and unused. Standing and speaking in truth is also like floating in deep waters. Say nothing and one might get splashed by the bubbling brook on occasion, speak and viola, you’re in over your head.

Of course one must measure the intention and how the words are spoken. If party A initiates conversation and party B responds with advice and opinion then party A can hardly be angry or torque out when they don’t like what they hear. However if party B simply offers advice willie nillie without an ask, then they truly do deserve resistance or anger; in this situation party B is in deep water with ankle weights on.

Similarly if someone holds his tongue in order to maintain a peace or an even keel it is hardly lying, one might call this judicious thought, prudence or common sense. However if after much deliberation and counsel should someone decide to speak up after a conversational door is opened, well that is simply the price paid for opening that door and thoughtful adults should well consider this position especially when words are offered as thoughtful and sound advice.

Truly though we never know how our words will be received or if they are received at all; the best that we can hope for is; that in time, there is a revelation or a thaw and that perhaps a light bulb flashes and then awareness comes. Certainly too, sometimes one must remove oneself from becoming the target of behavioral projections; when one projects his or her words or behaviors onto all of those around. In those situations it is best to cut off the words and remove from cross hairs acknowledging that peace, conversation and reconciliation might never come. However, should a thaw come then the expectation should be open, honest and thoughtful conversation, no more and no less.

Proverbs 8:17 and Robin Hayes

According to WRAL television in Raleigh NC, Robin Hayes, Republican representative from the North Carolina sixth congressional district said this on the weekend of October 18th,"Liberals hate real Americans that work and accomplish and achieve and believe in God."

I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me. - Proverbs 8:17

Oh my, here I have an issue with Mr. Hayes. He has since apologized but I believe the damage done. Too often the word liberal can be replaced with; black, gay, Jew, Hispanic, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, lesbian, bisexual, transgender or any person who doesn’t fit the narrow notion that the xenophobes portray as American. John McCain and Sarah Palin started the political bend down this path this year and the rotten Genie is out of the bottle and it may be next to impossible to get it back in. This kind of hate language smacks of McCarthyism or Fascism, it is dangerous, hurtful and divisive because it marginalizes those whom it attacks.

I am a self proclaimed evangelical Christian. For years I bought into the kind of language that Mr. Hayes so recklessly threw around this past weekend. In doing so, I rejected God, I stayed away from church and my heart grew hard and vengeful. After hitting my lowest of lows, I fought tooth and nail to retain my rightful gift, the gift that was paid in blood and pain for me and all on the cross at Calvary.

So with my love of God, Jesus and fervent prayers I reject what Mr. Hayes says about liberals. I believe that I diligently work to seek and love God and America. I have voted in every election since 1983 and almost always have crossed party lines with the exception of primaries. I am a capitalist. I am self employed, working without a safety net; I left the comfort of a state job over fifteen years ago and on average in this scary economy work some sixty hours per week.

I love my God and country and I refuse to allow the likes of Robin Hayes to take away what is rightfully mine. God loved me and all of humanity so much that he gave his only Son, so that I might know eternal love and happiness and life. My fear is that others will hear the words of Mr. Hayes, John McCain, Sarah Palin and any number of others and they will believe what is being said. That those hearing will stay away from God, they will not come to love God because a human with a reckless tongue is lashing out in hurt.