Sermon Central
-
Foot In Mouth Disease! (07.20.05--Pride--John ...
Contributed by Mark Brunner on Jul 19, 2005 (message contributor)
Foot In Mouth Disease! (07.20.05--Pride--John 7:51)
Open mouth, insert foot! There are few times in life more embarrassing than when we say something we didn’t mean to say or let something slip that should not have been said.
On the occasion of a recent birthday in our household, I was given the task of disguising our daughter’s gift (because of its bulk) until such time as it could be presented to her as a surprise. Dutifully, I stowed the box away in my garage and moved items in front of it so as to conceal it amidst the usual mess inhabiting that domain. Looking back at it I could see that it would never be spied by my daughter and I felt satisfied that I had done my job well.
Later that week, several days prior to the event, we got to talking around the dinner table. The conversation turned toward prowess in one thing or another. Finally it focused in on one’s ability to straighten out a mess when called upon to do so. As most of these conversations go, the focus finally turned to the topic of dad’s messy garage. I complained that it was unfair to pick on dad and dad alone. “Why, look at your bedroom and how about dishes on the counter. Besides, sometimes my messes serve a good purpose. If it hadn’t been for the current mess in my garage there would have been any place to hide your . . .” It was too late. The cat was out of the bag and I was embarrassed. I had been so focused on vindicating my abilities that I had totally overlooked the fact that in my zeal I had become the fool.
“Ronald Reagan, recalling an occasion when he was governor of California and made a speech in Mexico City: ‘After I had finished speaking, I sat down to rather unenthusiastic applause, and I was a little embarrassed. The speaker who followed me spoke in Spanish -- which I didn’t understand -- and he was being applauded about every paragraph. To hide my embarrassment, I started clapping before everyone else and longer than anyone else until our ambassador leaned over and said, ‘I wouldn’t do that if I were you. He’s interpreting your speech.’” (Quoted by Gerald Gardner in All the Presidents’ Wits (Morrow), in Reader’s Digest.)
When we are too quick to save face, our best defense can sometimes prove to be our worst offense. The Bible gives us many examples of “egg on the face” actions that resulted from individuals too quick on the trigger when it came to defending their own, usually inadequate, actions. When we as Christians allow our pride to dictate our actions, we are often likely to end up less “defended” than when we began to defend ourselves in the first place. Sometimes the best way of keeping feet out of mouth is to make sure our mouths aren’t open wide enough to receive them.
“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own” (Matt 6:34)
If you have a special prayer request, please send your request to “This Passing Day!”,
This Passing Day!
www.beechsprings.com
Related Sermon Illustrations
-
I Read About A Man Dreaming About The ...
Contributed by Melvin Shelton on Jul 17, 2004
I read about a man dreaming about the crucifixion of Jesus. He was telling in detail how that Jesus was beaten, and the people shouting crucify him. He saw the back of the soldier as he was driving ...read more
-
Faith Involves Resting Securely On God's ... PRO
Contributed by Peter Chan on Feb 11, 2005
Faith Involves Resting Securely on God’s Revelation –Entering the Ark. Noah’s faith in become a verb is completed with his entrance into the Ark with his family. It inspires me to learn that Noah was so confident about God’s promise and power that he went into the Ark with his family. It is one ...read more
-
Jeremy Bassett's 5-Year-Old Niece, Olivia, And ... PRO
Contributed by Paul Decker on May 19, 2004
Jeremy Bassett’s 5-year-old niece, Olivia, and her best friend, Claire, were participating in a nativity play at school. Claire was playing Mary, and Olivia was an angel. Before the show, a young boy was going around the dressing room repeating, "I’m a sheep, what are you?" Each child responded ...read more
-
Alta Vail Of Emporia, Kansas, Tells In Sunshine ...
Contributed by Evie Megginson on Mar 14, 2005
Alta Vail of Emporia, Kansas, tells in Sunshine magazine how she found a new way to pray while ironing. One day she was thinking about the different kinds of lines—bus lines, clothes lines, fishing lines, telephone lines. Why not a prayer line? she asked herself. So she strung a short rope across ...read more
-
In Donald Miller's Book "Blue Like Jazz," He Has ... PRO
Contributed by Mike Wilkins on Aug 4, 2005
In Donald Miller’s book “Blue Like Jazz,” he has a chapter called “Love: How to Really Love Other People” He was at a lecture by Greg Spencer that talked about the metaphors that we use around (amongst other things) relationships. We talk about how we value people, invest in people, how we say ...read more
Related Sermons
-
The Power Of Humility
Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 4, 2017
Sermon examines the benefits of humility with practical steps for walking in humiity. Moses in Niumbers 12 is given as an example of this. Jesus' teaching on the subject is also considered.
-
If My People Will Humble Themselves And Pray
Contributed by Bishop Prof. Julius Soyinka on Feb 22, 2016
We need to understand carefully what the Bible has to say about this matter and do whatever we need to do to see that these obstacles of revival do not hinder us from getting what we need from the Lord.
-
Honor One Another Series
Contributed by David Owens on Sep 28, 2009
We discover in this sermon that to honor one another above ourselves, we must learn to be humble.
-
Humility Brings Exaltation
Contributed by William Baeta on Aug 29, 2016
“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11)
-
Diagnosing The Check Engine Light Series
Contributed by John Sears on Feb 4, 2014
Mutual accountability is important to the life and health of the individual and to the life and health of the church. How do we handle the difficult task of mutual accountability? And how can it help us grow as followers of Jesus?
