Three major “Creation of Man” evolution type theories - Intelligent design and BioLogos, Evolution in a previous blog.

Yesterday we looked at Evolution as related to the Natural selection version of Evolution. We saw Evolution was an honest approach but one that doesn't accept God.

Now let’s look at the next theory, the one I called intelligent design.

If we disconnect this approach from the anti-Christian rhetoric that we find almost everywhere, and look at it as simply saying that “natural selection needs to be helped along by some force outside the context within which evolution finds itself”, we find it to be quite compatible.

Working to help evolution along at the moment are men! Think of the different types of dogs we have bred within the species, or cows, or horses, etc. This is man helping evolutionary processes. These man helped changes make sense and  we probably all agree that evolution could not have done the changes itself!  To get a tiny dog we did a lot of work and if evolution were left to itself, this creature would not exist as it would not be able to fight for survival!

So, within certain species cases we helped them along and actually guided this process by putting certain groups or sets of living creatures of a species together. If this is acceptable and it seems to be by the existance of our dissimilar pets, how can we not say that there was not force or “god” that didn’t do this in a more fantastic and exceptional manner in the past? A "god" who used similar methods to develop the species we have on our earth?

 

In simple terms, that is what intelligent design says! It doesn’t say who or what guided the design! It doesn't say who helped construct some parts that cannot be easily explained by natural selection evolution! It just says that there is some force or “god” that helped and that if there is, it could explain some of the directionality and stepwise jumps we see when we look at the evolutionary history that we have available to study. "Pure" Evolution cannot explain these (yet???)!

 

This is a bit easier for me to accept since it makes provision for closing the gaps left by evolution that are there! However it is equally as unprovable as evolution!

Like we have to accept evolution by faith, we need to accept intelligent design by faith as well. There is no proof for an "intelligent designer" any more than there is proof for evolutions "natural selection" doing the work. We as humans just haven't got the tools to enable us to confirm either theory as being correct despite what people try continually to tell us is out there. It’s a choice followed by a faith acceptance.

Both apporaches are equally acceptable by a logical person who does not reject science information or bend it to explain things incorrectly. It's a honest approach but one that allows for God!

Evolution (natural selection by chance) has been pushed far harder and sold with more fervor than intelligent design, but actually intelligent design speaks better to the facts than evolution since it does not disagree with evolution, it just disagrees with the fact that ONLY natural selection can be used to explain the known facts!

 

The third option is one presented by Francis Collins. According to him "BioLogos" expresses the belief that God is the source of all life and that life expresses the will of God. BioLogos represents the view that science and faith co-exist in harmony.[1]

Here Collins falls back on the fact that God sets everything up at the start to enable “natural selection” to occur in the way it has. It's a type of clockmaker theory. God makes the clock, puts it into action and it runs smoothly according to his purpose from that time on.

So in many ways he agrees totally with the evolutionary process by chance, but only once the “atoms are aligned” correctly to enable chance to establish what has occurred to provide what we have today. This theory is less likely to accept "miracles" and intervention, but says "Natural Selection" is doing it's God pre-ordained purpose. Very hard to argue against, since it does not discount anything related to "natural selection"

 

So BioLogos is another totally unprovable theory, but one that includes God’s intervention, if in a different way to intelligent design!

 

So what do we have?

 

 We have three theories that all explain a similar thing and NONE of them can be proved!

What does that mean? I think it means we are not gods and cannot know all things. I think it means we need to work harder to understand the intricacies of creation. I think it also means we should not push one theory so hard that it appears as if the others are not equally valid since in actual fact, none can be proven. I take proven to mean that all queries related to theories correctly provide understanding of all the observable phenomena. They all fail mainly because evolution fails at this regard, and the others are just modifications of the drivers behind this theory.

 

So, creation could have followed an evolutionary path. The bible, if read in modern terms and with modern knowledge does not contradict these theories, but doesn’t really substantiate any over the other, except to point out pure chance is not true. Since pure chance is highly unlikely and doesn’t yet fulfill all known data, we have to agree with the bible in this statement!

 So, you need to make up your own mind! After all, the bible says God gave you free will doesn’t it?  

Let me summarize this chapter to help you, but after I give you my own opinion.  . .

 

My personal choice is intelligent design, but that’s only my opinion and I am open to change it! I don’t reject the fact God could create in situ without evolutionary processes as in "pure" creation, but I do query why he would try and misrepresent something in that way. Why make all this information about age and put it there for us to find? Why create a “red herring” approach? It just doesn’t seem “truthful” does it?

 

So where does this leave us regarding various facts?

• The biblical events are: “Adam” formed (not necessarily in Eden) Gen 2:8, 2:15.

• “Adam” placed in Garden of Eden by God, and then chased out due to sinning, and lives near by. Cain starts agriculture, Gen 4:3
• Abel starts Animal husbandry Gen 4:2 Cain starts cities. Gen 4:17
• One language and from there God’s man disperses civilized man throughout the world Gen 11

 

Science parallels. . .

• “Adam” earliest bones 55 000yrs ago in Ethiopia.
• The “Earliest civilization”, “Agriculture” , “Animal husbandry” and “Cities” start in Mesopotamia region as well as slightly north of it in Ancient Near East – verified by archeology (roughly 10 000BC)
• Akkadian was originally the main Near East language of almost everyone. Then language diversifies about 3500BC . Over the same time a dispersion  is occurring from the Ancient Near East of “civilized” man to places around the world. – Genographic project supports this.

 

Key points we should probably think about:

• God created  and science cannot disprove this
• The universe has to be tuned very specifically for life.
• Life with diversity including us, human beings, arose.
• Evolution could have been used, but God could also have established everything with age already – nobody but God knows
• Humans are uniquely spiritual. No arguments from scientists here!
• If we believe in God we must try and bring all men closer to him (Jesus told us to do this).

---

[1] The Language of God: a Scientist Presents Evidence for Belief. Francis S. Collins. Simon and Schuster, 2006. ISBN 0743286391. p.203

Three major “Creation of Man” evolution type theories - Intro and first theory - Evolution, others follow in another blog.

 

We as humans are quite a complex organism and more than that, we have self awareness. This means we are not only complex but we really want to know how and why we are complex and how we got that way!

 

This is a wonderful gift! No other creature can do this can they? Are we not amazingly blessed? We should use this ability to it’s fullest extent! Some people have been trying to utilize this gift as best they can to investigate our origins. My earlier comments on Creation of Man, Myth or Mystery gives some background upon which I now intend to build.

 

There are many theories and I am looking into three of them because to look into all will take a bit longer and bore us to tears! To keep things short and to the point I need a focused approach. Hopefully I engender an interest in you the reader to investigate a bit more for yourself. That way we all gain!

 

So the three types of theories that perhaps represent the majority of perspectives on scientific related creation are 1)Evolution, 2)Intelligent design, and 3)Bio-logos.

 

These are not so significantly different that one can be proved conclusively to be correct over the other and let’s be correct and say the pure creation by god putting everything in place suddenly in 7 twenty four hour days is another (but less supported by what we see and evaluate). I will focus on the three which all consider an evolutionary type process as the basis.

 

Let’s start but discussing the fact that humanoid species have existed from the Paleolithic period. That spans around 2.5billion years ago to around 8000BC. Neanderthals seem to have died out around 8000bc. Homo Sapiens (Modern Man) originating somewhere around 80 000 to 55000 years ago. If you want more information on this origin of modern man look into the Genographic project Halogroup A(M91). This explains some of modern man’s(and woman’s) origins in Ethiopia.

 

So let’s recap a bit of information known by scientists and align it with some bible text with knowledge known at this point in time (A.D.2010).

 

Firstly Man was “created” outside the “Garden”  as per Gen 2:8, and the  Recent African Origin (RAO), hypothesis proposes  that we (homo Sapiens) appeared in Africa somewhere between 200 000 to 55000 years ago. Secondly based on this first fact (if accepted) we can say the Garden of Eden  also mentioned in Gen 2:8 was probably between 55000 and 10000years ago, and that there were rivers flowing from Eden to water the Garden. Why do I suggest 10000years ago as the upper limit? I’m basing it on the start of the third point.

 

Thirdly the start of cities is mentioned in Gen 4:17 and this has been archeologically determined to be about 7000 to 10000 years ago. At that time the first cities developed in Mesopotamia (i.e. the near Middle East). This is all done by simply applying known information and logic to the known facts both scientific and biblical.

 

Now although we cannot find an identifiable global flood layer, it is known that the river valleys have no known occupation at around 8000years ago. Could it be a flood stopped this happening and scared of the humans for that time? (I will deal with the details of discussions around the flood later, but it suffices to say that these valleys were not occupied for about 1000years at this time).

 

Then if we believe that the tower of Babel was potentially a ziggurat (wait for details of this  in a later discussion), this would put their establishment at roughly 3000B.C.

 

With this as a basis let’s look at the evolution options.  . .

 

Firstly, the option of pure evolution triggered by chance and without any type of divine guidance. This assumes development of species and one of them, us, happen by random chance!

 

This could occur, but in my estimation is highly unlikely. Why do I say this?

Can the schools taught over the recent past be wrong? They teach us evolution is a fact don’t they? Maybe, but it’s actually a theory, not a fact! The teachers went to school when people were much more certain of all these “facts” than they are now. They teach what they were taught. Evolution has now almost grown to have  a cult following as well! Justified, since it helped us classify a lot of unfathomable information, but perhaps we have gone a little to far in support of the weirdness. The reason I am dubious about this is quite a simple argument that we can all identify with. At least, that’s my opinion!

 

In the known history of mankind we have not seen even one species evolve into another although we have seen many endangered and die out! If chance was causing evolution, we should at least have seen one new species by now. If they have been dying out faster than new ones are being established this is not something that can maintain and fill an Earth with species. It’s just not sustainable! Then, we should at least have all these “unsuccessful” intermediate species clogging up the archeological and geological layers, but we don’t! Why not? Then, if they die out faster than they develop, they are not likely to be successful at populating the Earth are they?  Then if I gave you nothing to start with but dirt, and asked you to use all the dirt you wanted but no lab equipment and produce DNA, you could not do it. Not the greatest scientists or groups of scientists in this world could do it. So how did that first organism arise?

 

So, in my mind, the mechanism of chance needs to have a push and guidance to make it work. Evolution in the pure sense just doesn’t allow for that push or guidance. This is why I have trouble accepting this theory.

 

To add to this my common sense jumps in. Does it really make sense that all this diversity happened by chance? Let’s get it straight, I am not saying it didn’t, but I am saying I have trouble buying into this one way of it happening without any type of intervention. It is highly unlikely and not substantiated by the facts we see, nor even seen in the geological record!

 

Take one example, when it comes to modern man, we don’t even have historical “missing links” to look at! The same happens for other species. There are many missing links and almost all are missing between one species and another. The one “missing link” related to mankind became many missing links a few years ago when the theory of modern man evolving form the Neanderthal was discounted by scientists.  Now we need to review our data and go at this one again!

 

So, evolution has been a great theory to get us going, and like the steam engine it is still in use and needs to be. It may be useful but we need an update on it to bring it up to internal combustion engine status. It has its place, it helps us classify and co-ordinate our knowledge, but we must be careful of making it God because it has failures, and there is more we cannot explain in it than the pieces we can.

We should however always try to fill in these gaps and must never say it is not a useful theory. It is hugely useful, it’s just not absolutely correct and is pushed far too hard for it’s own good!

Natural selection fails to explain many things, but we must not discredit the advances it has made for us so far!

...
Creation of Man, Myth or Mystery?

 

Have you noticed how we enjoy getting curiosity going by investigating a good mystery? I felt that way when investigating the creation of Man from a biblical perspective. It’s a wonderfully enjoyable search for information and ideas. I gave us some information on this just a little while back, but now I want to investigate it a bit further. Let’s look at the biblical events. . .

 

 

Quite a strange set of events isn’t it? Not the normal type of creation story! The normal type of creation goes something like , “well I took a widget, and added another, we connected it with this pipe and then added wiget2 to form assembly one which we tested”.

 

Men have to take something to make something. God didn’t he took dust that he had created from nothing. We have a while to go before we can do that I think? What do you think?

 

Okay, so let’s talk just a little about genetics. I’m no expert, but the basics are really easy to understand and so I plan to recap these basics here just so we are all on the same level to start our discussions.

 

What is genetics? Well it’s the code that parents use to pass on their bodily make-up to their kids. We pass on our characteristics to our children. That’s why people say they look and act like us! Inside living cells are long strands of molecules called DNA. This stores the information that tells cells how to create a living thing. Just a short while back scientists copied a molecules DNA in a lab, removed a live cells DNA, and replaced it with the lab DNA and the cell went on living and replicated. DNA is the code that holds the key to life. We have proved that now!

 

So to move on with our discussion, a living thing has two copies of each gene, one from its mother and another from its father. Think of it as the two sides of a ladder connected by the rungs. DNA is like a twisted ladder connected by adenine (A)/(a) , thymine (T)/(t) , cytosine (C)/(c), guanine (G)/(g). Like a computer code that has 0’s and 1’s, DNA has four different things instead of two; instead of 0’s and 1’s it has adenine (A)/(a) , thymine (T)/(t) , cytosine (C)/(c), guanine (G)/(g).

 

A computer can do all the things it does by using only 0’s and 1’s. Human DNA does everything by using adenine (A)/(a) , thymine (T)/(t) , cytosine (C)/(c), guanine (G)/(g). It works with patterns like the computer works with patterns of 0’s and 1’s.

 

I know its tough to imagine, but I guess it’s hard to think that video or image you are watching on the computer is all 0’s and 1’s as well. Let’s get it straight, we don’t automatically believe truth, sometimes it takes some effort right? Think of these letters you are reading that are created by a computer. It takes effort to see they are all created from only 1’s and 0’s at some point. You may disbelieve it, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s true right!

 

In 2002 a team led by a Christian, Francis Collins, decoded the human genome. This means they figured out the pattern of DNA that is used in a human body. Wow! What an incredible amazing piece of work! Now we could see the hidden complexity of man. We could praise God for something magnificent right?

 

Wrong!

 

Instead of being amazed how God constructs such intricate patterns with such care, everyone said we had done something amazing and forgot about the designer of all this. Except Collins, who gave glory to God and still does. Strange isn’t it?

 

Now that we know our genetic code, we could see we differ from animals, but we also found that we have the same sequences in our code that many animals have. i.e. our DNA has parts of other animal DNA in it. Immediately the scientist jumped to a conclusion, they took a leap of faith and said it was proof that we evolved from animals. This was interesting! It was not proven scientifically, but was assumed by many immediately.

 

The fact is that this still needs to be proved! Perhaps the creator just took some of the same code used to create others instead of recreating everything each time? Perhaps not! We don’t really know and let’s get it straight, if God wanted to use other animals DNA, that’s okay by me as well. He’s God!

 

One side effect of this study was that we were able to prove something that the scientists had been telling us was in fact was not correct. They had been telling us for many years that Neanderthals evolved into modern man. This was proven wrong! We got DNA of Neanderthals and it wasn’t the same DNA as that of modern man. We didn’t evolve from Neanderthals! Scientists goofed up! Notice however they don’t go around publishing that fact, they just point out the “new” facts. Hmmm! Wonder how many lives they destroyed along the way. I wonder if that counts? Another discussion for another time, lets get back to Homo Sapiens.

 

It’s a moving “fact” but it appears (according to scientists)as if we “appeared” around 80 000 to 55 000 years ago in modern day Ethiopia. The Genographic Project, a worldwide attempt to check DNA of millions of people and track it back to the origin of man has shown this. Man originated in Africa and went through the Middle East to populate the world.

 

You will have noticed in my writing a while back I explained that we are recent but started out a long time before the 55 000 years ago according to bible texts. How this happened, we do not know! Not even the scientists do. We can consider it an interesting mystery, but let’s get it straight, nobody knows! Only God!

 

There are lots of theories however and perhaps I will explain some of these in the next piece I write. For now, notice how God creates “them” not just “Adam” in chapter one of Genesis. Both sexes are created in the first mention of creation. The re-creation or second mention of creation is where we get the rib thing coming out. I don’t want to say I understand this all, but one thing that is apparent to me, this second piece seems to be more flowery and pictorial in discussion language. It partially summaries the first but not fully, leaving out huge pieces. Then it explains how God inserts his “breath” in man. That word “breath” is interesting as well. In other places the word is translated “soul”.

 

Could this be the point that mankind became self aware? When they met with God? Perhaps this is where they first communicated with God? Could man have been first, and then the woman at his side, his mate second in knowing God?

 

It certainly makes sense. and fits the known facts, but there is so much supposition in this discussion it’s almost as loose as the scientific theories around what happened at that time.

 

Let’s get it straight, we just don’t know! We weren’t there! Let’s be content with understanding God is amazing and has millions of ways of doing this creation. Which one used was his choice. I think it’s what we choose now that is really the choice we need to make. Right?

Watching my internet language, ‘cos not to do so is too dangerous!

 

Two days back I discussed what bad language was, and how we perhaps need to respond in my blog Bad language? But I don’t swear! Really? 

 I have since been asked if this approach is not “Old Fashioned” and “no longer applicable” or if it’s even reasonable to expect people to watch what they say since that’s “just how I am, I lay it out straight!”

 So, today I want to reference an article 23 Things Not To Write In An E-mail to give this subject a reality base.

 The words referred to and that were used to search through emails for information in a law case included the following;

“ 

• stupid
• huge mistake
• big mistake
• dumb
• can't believe 
• cannot believe
• serious trouble
• big trouble
• unsalvageable
• shocked
• speechless
• too late
• uncomfortable
• not comfortable
• I don't think we should
• very sensitive
• highly sensitive
• very confidential
• highly confidential
• do not share this
• don't share this
• between you and me
• just between us”

  These are not nasty words but these words got some people into serious trouble after the fact. They never expected to ever hear or see these emails again but they turned up anyhow. If those people were writing in such a way as to build others up and meet their needs, it is far less likely that these words would have been found in their emails.

 We think that when we write an email it disappears on the internet but it doesn’t.  It’s there and available for others to hunt down and hunt through. If you are thinking about disagreeing, think of the last time you went onto Amazon. Did that site somehow suggest things or books you are interested in? How do you expect the Amazon people know what we like? They don’t read our minds do they (even if they would like to)?

 No! they keep everything we type on our keyboard for later reference.

  What have we typed onto the internet lately? How many embarrassing or nasty email are out in internet databases with our words on them? You may think none, but someone in the computer field once said to me that “electronic words never die, they just submerge themselves from human perceptions for a while!”

 Facebook has similar traps for the unwary! Here the risk is much higher as images convey much more information and can be much more damaging. How many of us ask the question “how will this be perceived by those who will have access to this on the internet?”

 It’s so easy to have a simple image taken in an unsuspecting moment change a life forever. To give a strong example of this (and this never happened, it’s only an imaginary example) can you imagine a picture of the Pope throwing up while holding a communion cup in his hand?

 Imagine a journalist who is focusing on money and not on integrity and building others up. They would publish this image on a blog or try to sell it wouldn’t they? Perhaps the Pope was innocently ill and unable to react correctly in a difficult circumstance. It could be totally innocent but real bad for the Pope right?
 
 Can you imaging the headlines? They would run from “Drunk Pope” to other equally nasty things. If someone even published this image innocently on facebook, or a video on youTube it would still have nasty repercussions, right?

 While this is a ludicrous example, please realize than many of us have put an embarrassing or silly picture onto the internet. This happens especially when we are younger with little consideration  of how it will impact our lives and our lives witness later on!

 That stupid party picture of us blind drunk doing shameful things can be funny at 18years of age, but devastating as we go to court at 30, 40 or older. Maybe it’s the reason we don’t get that job. Some internet detective is asked to do a background chack we never see and the image keeps coming up?

 We need to be people who watch our words and actions! Have you ever noticed how carefully and cleverly Jesus is reported to have reacted with words. His word pictures are masterpieces of subtle care! Not a word out of place! Always building people towards God, never falsely saying anything and only speaking things he knew were truth. 

 So today as we write our emails, jokes and have fun, let’s remember to do it only after we have considered the words and images we use, because words are important to God and ultimately to us.

 That’s why it says in the bible, “Say with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord.’ Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. Then you will be saved.” [1]

 Words are needed and need to be used carefully. They need to connect with our attitudes and values. They must be truthful!

 Want to join me in being careful of what we say today?   

This week I had to introduce a group to the start of the time of connecting with God. This is an adaptation of that prayer I used.

 You need to know we are located near Huntsville, Canada and less than 20minutes away from where the world leaders will be having their G8 conference.

"Father God, may your name be glorified in heaven and by us here now. We join with your angels in saying how great you are, how wonderful you have made things and do things around us.

 Father you know the G8 are coming here to Huntsville  and we pray that you will move these leaders to perform good and pure works in this world. You are the head of all rulers and countries whether they agree or not. You ask us to stand up and be counted among those who are truthful and to be fair to those in need.

 May we stand up for those who have lost loved ones, those who are weak or ill due to age or illness. May we step in to help those who are not treated fairly! Give us courage to live life in your way Father. 

Ministers and governments don’t know anything compared to you. Advise us please dear Father. Our world is being destroyed by greed, and evil. Guide us on how best to stop this flow of evil, and turn lives to feeding your lambs and watering your fields.

 Many men think they are god’s but you are the true God dear Father. Don’t let these human god’s overrun our Earth and damage those you love, Christians and non-christians. 

Father I now want to mention those that we know need your help, love, encouragement. I bring to mind those ill, those with marital problems, with relationship problems, those who have lost loved ones, those struggling to find work, those with illnesses that cannot be diagnosed, those that feel the strain of age, those who are lonely and those who just need you in their lives.

 
Enfold these people we hold dear in your amazing love. Build them up in heavenly paths so that they would rise to meet you in life, as they will do so again on the great and glorious day when we go to be with you. 

Father now please bless our leader. I pray for great protection and power to be with him. May your angels surround him and his family in the spiritual realm.

Cover him with your love and empower the words he speaks. Please anoint him, Holy Spirit and move him to heavenly places as he represents us. 

Father you are our supplier and give us all good things we need. You give us rest, you lead us into peacefulled places in this war torn life. You give us renewed strength. You make the things we do right and guide us to do good.

Even though we walk through evil places we will not be afraid because you are there. You are with us, you have everything prepared ahead of time for us! You guide us and warn us. You give us everything we need and the great joy of your presence that confuses those who do evil.

Holy Spirit you anoint us and cover us with your protection, wisdom and power until we overflow. We know your goodness and love will follow us every day of our lives. We will live in your presence forever.

AMEN

Bad language? But I don’t swear! Really?

 Imagination is one of the greatest gifts God gives to us isn’t it?  Perhaps it is this that gives us the ability to do more than any other creature on Earth. 

“Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” – Albert Einstein.

 The interesting thing about imagination is that it is simply a tool we use to create our worlds and the meanings we exchange with each other. For example, if I say to you “spit” you get an image that is probably not so good, but if I say “cookies” there is a different image isn’t there?

 The words we use are important and they have meaning that we all agree on. Unfortunately some of us get to overuse words and then they tend to loose their meaning for us, but not for others.

 Try saying the word “sex” one hundred times and see if you don’t start thinking of something that has nothing to do with the meaning of the word. Perhaps you will be saying “six” instead.

 However, if your mother was to walk up behind you and hear this, she would not miss the meaning of the word and your strange repeated usage of it. It would probably cause her concern (at least it should) .

 So words have meanings, and while we agree on them, they impact people differently. A Christian person who rarely hears the word “bullshit” may find it highly distasteful when used in their company, but someone who hears it a few hundred times a month is desensitized to it, and so doesn’t have the same reaction.

 When Paul says “Don't let any evil talk come out of your mouths” he understands this because he knows that different people have different appreciation of words. That’s why he doesn’t go on to explain which words we can and cannot use. Instead he qualifies it by saying “Say only what will help to build others up and meet their needs.”

 This is what is used to qualify good language from bad language. The intent of our words! When we last got angry with someone, how did we use our words? Are we satisfied we used the words in such a way as to build others up! Were we meeting their needs or our own?

 As a spiritual person who is connected with Holy Spirit I definitely try to keep my words correct and positive. Let’s keep it straight however, I don’t always manage! Keeping words correct and uplifting is my objective and I do the best I can to keep from failing and letting my words spew out nasty things. Sorry if I fail sometimes, it gets less all the time however!

 Let’s also look into what is considered bad language. We can use perfect words to be absolutely horrible to others. That is bad language!

 To say to someone “you are as beautiful and aromatic as the flea filled armpit of pig that has been rolling in excrement on hot day” may not be using swear words, but probably it is probably more damaging and no less hurtful than using a four letter word that we would call a swear word!

 Saying something like this is not going to build the other person up is it? It is not likely to meet their needs right? It is what Paul’s calls “bad language”.

 Why shouldn’t we use bad language even when angry and hurt?

 While using it may cause anger or hurt in the other person, it damages us far more! It degrades us and the worse the language, the worse everyone around us will feel for and about us. The lowest quality of our language is often the value people tend to apply to us. People will not want to be around a person who spews out hateful and nasty things. Do you like going around with negative people who only say negative things about everything and everyone? Probably not! So why do we allow ourselves to fall into this same trap?

 That’s why Paul says “Then what you say will help those who listen.” When we speak well under trying circumstances, our worth goes up! We have the ability to turn an enemy to being a friend, maybe not right away, but give it time! Avoiding negative words about someone may not make them like us, but makes sure we don’t burn bridges that can be used to mend the relationship later! We also don’t drop in value in the estimation of those who many agree with us but don’t want the other person to be degraded.

 This is however not the real reason we must guard our spirit by guarding our words. The real reason is that we make Holy Spirit sad when we fail in this way. We hurt our eternal value!

 So, what should we do if we have screwed up, and believe me, I have done so often in the past.

 Firstly we go to God and tell him we are really very sorry!  God is the most injured person in the situation. Then, if possible we apologize to those who were hearing our mistaken words. We cannot take them back and they will always depreciate our value, but we can rise above them. Finally, we need to be sure to remind ourselves when we get into the same emotional state again, we should stop talking before we snap.

 Speaking of SNAP, my wife always say this stands for “stop now and plan”, in my terms its “stop now and pray”. 

Let’s agree to give God the glory and modify our language to be heavenly! Lets apply the correct way of SNAP. That way our eternal worth goes up, and others will want to be around us and hear our advice! A good objective for today isn’t it?