Do you have a dog? It’s no wonder that they are called “Man’s Best Friend.” People who have dogs usually experience less stress than those who don’t. Dog owners are not surprised when their canine pets rush to their sides and won’t leave them, if they hear you crying or feel that you’re sad or hurting. Dogs are always happy to see you. They twirl and spin for treats. They don’t hold grudges, and all they ask is for a belly rub every once in a while.
I read a meme the other day, it said, “The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue!” This is a lesson that many need to remember these days. Folks are so quick to get on the defensive, speak up in anger, or lash out at those who may have differing opinions. But we must remember that Jesus warned, “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them” (Matthew 15:11). “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). We must beware of what we say, but we must even more – beware of how we say it! Paul told the Colossians, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt” (Colossians 4:6).
Friends, “Let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19), for we are all simply blessed, Courtney