EWHBC Pastor's Place

“The Cure for Foot-In-Mouth Disease”

Many of us are concerned today about the spread of H1N1, better known as the Swine Flu.  The reports are that this fast spreading virus has the potential to infect a significant portion of the American population and therefore all of us need to take precautions.  Indeed, many of us are taking actions to prevent the spread of the Swine Flu including washing our hands more frequently, covering our mouths when we cough, and staying at home when we’re sick. However, another disease seems to be spreading rapidly and infecting our land.  This disease is “Foot-In-Mouth Disease” and it occurs when someone opens their mouth and speaks a careless, toxic word that they later regret.  This disease has been front and center in the media recently.  It began last week during President Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress when Rep. Joe Wilson of South Carolina yelled out and said to the President “You Lie!”  Of course the Congressman is entitled to his opinion, but to make a disparaging remark about the President to his face and in public is just plain wrong and disrespectful.  Indeed, no other U.S.  President has received such an insult from a U.S. Congressman and as a result of Rep. Wilson’s actions, he was disciplined by the U.S. House of Representatives.  But Joe Wilson isn’t alone in suffering from this disease.  Over the weekend, tennis great Serena Williams also came down with the foot-in-mouth bug at the U.S. Open.  Williams lost her cool and cursed out a line judge and as a result, she lost the tennis match and received a stiff monetary penalty.   Not to be outdone, rapper Kayne West joined the Foot-In-Mouth club last Sunday at the MTV Video Awards Show.  He interrupted an acceptance speech given by country music singer Taylor Swift and said that she didn’t deserve the award.  This moment transformed Kayne West’s image from being a popular rapper to an entertainmer  with a “big chip on his shoulder.”
How can you inoculate yourself from Foot-In-Mouth disease?  You can do so by heeding the admonishment of James, the brother of Jesus.  James says to us that we should be “…quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” (James 1:19).   Many of us want to be the first to get a word in during a confrontation, but James encourages us to work at listening before we speak — and this includes thinking about what the impact will be of the words that we intend to say.  Furthermore, if something agitates us, James encourages us to be slow at getting angry.  Ultimately, if we are offended by someone’s words, we must learn to forgive one another, just as Christ Jesus forgives us each and every day!

Peace and Blessings,
Pastor Kip Banks

About EWHBC

The East Washington Heights Baptist Church, located in the Southeast neighborhood of Hillcrest in Washington, D.C. is a spirit-filled church that is grounded in faith and prayer. Our mission is to worship God and study His word and to serve God through teaching, witnessing, nurturing and ministering to one another and the community.

Visit our website @ http://www.ewhbc.org

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