Inside

Did you know that spray paint won’t fix rust? A Band-Aid won’t remove a tumor. Wax on the hood of your car won’t cure the problems going on in the motor. If the problem is inside, you have to go inside to fix it.  Two golfers had gone to play a round of golf. The first golfer swung and missed the ball. Swung again and missed again. He tried the third time and still hit nothing but air. He turns to his friend and says “Man, this is a tough course.” The course might have been tough but that wasn’t the problem for he had yet to play the course. I tell you It’s always easy to blame our inside problems on something on the outside. Last Friday morning I received a call from a man who was very rude to me on the phone; I had to bite my tongue from saying words I would have wished I hadn’t said later. I came and told my wife about the conversation and then left for work. The more I thought about what he said the worse I felt; why did I keep my mouth shut? I told myself I should go… well I won’t say anything about that but none the less my feelings had been hurt and I wanted to retaliate.  I thought about it Saturday and then on Sunday morning I decided what I would do. I talked with my wife about it on the way to Church and she gave me good advice as always, she said I was getting in the flesh and should let it go. I didn’t want to let it go. Sunday night I told my best friend about what had happened but he didn’t say what I wanted him to say either. A good friend of mine taught me something that has been of real value to me, he called it the three day rule. It’s simple when something like that happens to you give it three days before you do anything and if you still feel the same way in three days then do something. Ok, it’s now Monday morning and I have come to realize that I had an inward problem and had planned to solve it outwardly. The real problem was on the inside; my attitude and my sneaking thinking was about to get the best of me. I am glad for my wives advice and my friend’s ear and learning about the three day rule, for who knows what those three saved me from.  David said it right in:

Psalms 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. That’s actually what I need, a clean heart and a right spirit WITHIN ME. Words are easily spoke and can never be brought back so I must think clearly and choose my words wisely before I speak.

Proverbs 16:32 He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

James 3:8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Be careful what we say and be slow to anger. Learn to rule your inner being; the three day rule is a great rule to incorporate into any one’s life I am so grateful that my good friend took the time to share it with me. Do you know what? I think I just did the same thing with you.