The Cussin' Parrot

A cussing parrot named Flounder was adopted by the Humane Society of Charlotte. Flounder had been taught profanity by his former owners, who were college students. “The bird makes us laugh, and we don’t get many laughs, so we’re keeping him,” said Patti Lewis, president of the society. “We don’t want anyone to think the humane society taught him those filthy words.”

 

Have you noticed that the President, Vice-President, and other politicians are frequently using filthy words, even when they’re on TV? What used to be taboo is now acceptable. It has even become acceptable among Christians to use cuss words. I would never tell non-Christians to stop talking filth because they don’t have a relationship with God, but I will tell believers to clean up their mouths. Why? Because you are a representative of Jesus Christ.

 

Christians are called to a higher standard (1 Cor. 5:12), and non-believers form their beliefs about the truth of Christianity from the way we act and what we say. What would Jesus do? Did Jesus ever say filthy cuss words? David Jeremiah said, “The only Jesus that unbelievers ever see is in people who already know Him.”

When the prophet Isaiah saw God on His throne (Isaiah 6:1,5), he said, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, for my eyes have seen the King.” When he stood before God, the FIRST thing that convicted him was the words he had spoken. What did he say that was so bad? It probably wasn’t filthy words, but maybe he called someone an idiot, or he might have slandered someone.

I learned to cuss on the golf course whenever I hit a bad shot. But after I gave my heart to Jesus, I quit saying all those filthy words. A change of heart changes the way we speak (Luke 6:45). “You must also put away all for the following: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, and filthy language out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8). “But sexual immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness or foolish talk, or vulgar joking, which are not fitting.” (Eph.5:3-4)

Instead of using crude language, you can learn to say clean words (crap, butt, darn, etc.) that mean the same things as the cuss words, but aren’t offensive. Flounder the foul-mouthed parrot was taught how to cuss, and you can teach yourself how to not cuss. “The heart of the wise teaches his mouth” (Prov. 16:23).  www.makinglifecount.net 

BIBLE STUDY: If Jesus knew all things, why did He ask questions?

Receive these devotionals (free) by email: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com (NOTE: The subscription box will NOT appear on your smart phone, but it can be seen on your computer.) 

Homeless vs Famous

A little girl was asked what she wanted to be when she grew up. She screamed, “Famous!” 

Fame is nothing more than name recognition. You’re famous if everyone knows your name and takes pictures of you.

Which person in the picture is more valuable? The unknown homeless man pictured on the left, or Taylor Swift, one of the most famous people in the world, who is pictured on the right. 99.99% of people would say Taylor Swift is more valuable. But does fame really make her more valuable? 

What if they switched places? The homeless man would become a world-famous singer, and Taylor Swift would be an unknown homeless person living in a cardboard house. Everyone would be begging for his autograph, and everyone would be looking down on her. Same people. Different status. 

But God sees people differently than we do. In God’s eyes, the homeless person sleeping in a cardboard box is just as valuable as the most admired movie star sleeping in a mansion. Proverbs 22:2 says, “The rich and the poor have a common bond; the Lord is the maker of them all.” The fact that God created every person makes everyone valuable. Only by looking through God’s eyes will you understand that everyone is valuable, but no one is more valuable than anyone else. 

How much is a person worth? Jesus said, “What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Matt. 16:26). It doesn’t matter whether you’re famous or homeless, your soul is with worth MORE THAN all the gold, silver, cryptocurrency, money, and property in the entire world! The one thing you DON’T want to do is “lose your soul.” Jesus came to earth to save your soul (Luke 19:10), which keeps you from losing it. 

What’s my point? Stop looking at people through the lens of fame or the lens of shame. Remember that no one is better than anyone else, and everyone has an eternal soul that needs to be saved.  www.makinglifecount.net

NEW on Amazon Kent’s new book “Finding God’s Will” paperback $9.99

Receive these devotionals (free) by email: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com (Your email will not be given out. You’ll receive an email when the new devotional is posted) 

Knowing Where to Tinker

Years ago, auto maker Henry Ford built his River Rouge automobile plant in Dearborn, Michigan. Charlie Steinmetz, who worked for General Electric, helped install the generators. One day something went wrong at the plant and a gigantic generator shut down.

The electrical engineers couldn’t fix the problem, so Ford called Steinmetz to see if he could find out what was wrong. Charlie tinkered with the machine for a few hours and then flipped the switch. The generator whirred to life and everything worked perfectly.

Three days later, Ford received invoice from Steinmetz for $10,000. Henry wrote Charlie a letter thanking him for fixing the problem, but balked at the $10,000 charge just for “tinkering.” He asked for an itemized bill. A few days later, Ford received this reply: “For tinkering on generator $1. For knowing where to tinker $9,999.” Ford paid the bill.  (MORE Amazing Stories & Daily Devotionals, Day 137)

In our journey through this life, many things will quit working and need to be fixed. It may be a financial problem, or a relationship that needs repairing. We serve an omniscient God who knows where to tinker. How much does He know? Jesus told us the hairs on our heads are all numbered (Luke 12:7). Before we even speak a word, the Lord knows what we will say (Psalm 139:4). God has even named every star in the universe (Ps. 147:4, Isa. 40:26).

God knows what you’re going through and wants to show you what to do. He says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know” (Jer. 33:3). We must be willing to obey whatever He says to us. Let Him tinker wherever He wants and whatever needs fixing will start working again. www.makinglifecount.net

NEW on Amazon Kent’s new book “Finding God’s Will” paperback $9.99

Receive these devotionals (free) by email: You can subscribe in the box on the right at www.kentcrockett.blogspot.com (Your email will not be given out. You’ll receive an email when the new devotional is posted)