wise about what is good, innocent about what is evil.

one out of three of my executive bosses, who also happens to be a lawyer, is a huge stickler with words. whenever i speak with him i try to be extra cautious of whatever comes out of my mouth. i refrain from using slang (today i told him alec baldwin's wife is "preggers" and he seemed perplexed), exaggerations, or the word "like" as often as i'm used to. with the added effort that it takes to communicate with him on a daily basis, i have actually grown to appreciate the awareness this inadvertently brings to my speech, hopefully without being too particular b/c that can get annoying.
until recently, i rarely acknowledged how much words affect me, both negatively and positively. being the age that i am and having gone on quite a few dates, i've heard plenty of smooth lines, tons of flattery and empty promises. i was confiding in a girlfriend, semi-lamenting that i'm so used to & over this game of sweet talk, when she pointed out that no, i'm actually not. it still affects me because i still believe it. this is true. regardless of all the hot air that i've heard combined with good intentions, the multiple times i was disappointed when someone didn't follow through, or lofty compliments & praise that fell flat on the ground, i can't help but hold onto the benefit of the doubt and trust that this time, this person means it. (after all, it just takes one to make it all worth it.) the stark difference is that now i don't eat it all up like candy and get sucked into the delusion that words so often have the power to bring.
maybe i have a special kind of selective amnesia for certain messed up experiences that i've gone through or maybe it's just that i have a supernatural faith in love and goodness. given all the poor decisions, made in the name of "love" by the way, that led to unfavorable circumstances i should be a ton more jaded and discontented. perhaps it's naivety, resilience or seeing the world through rose-colored glasses, but more than any of these i believe it's evidence that God is protecting my heart and keeping it safe and tender for Himself. He must have glorious and redemptive plans for me :)
whatever the case, now i hold closer to and admire those who keep their word. as shameful as this sounds, i never really valued truth. i mean, who genuinely stops to reflect on this regularly? subconsciously i started thinking about this because i saw the passion of the Christ twice last week and this particular dialogue struck me-

1. Pontius Pilate: What is truth, Claudia? Do you hear it, recognize it when it is spoken?
2. Claudia Procles: Yes, I do. Don't you?
3. Pontius Pilate: How? Can you tell me?
4. Claudia Procles: If you will not hear the truth, no one can tell you.

so what is truth? better yet, who is truth? in the NT, Jesus prefaced almost 80 of His documented claims with "i tell you the truth..." you would think He was trying to make a point or something. if we believe that in His very words there is life (wow) i think it begs to be investigated and longed after.

⁶³ The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. John 6

⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4

i think it's pretty evident that there's something in each of our souls that crave and seek truth. those profound, sometimes daunting, questions that we all face demand sufficient answers- what's the meaning of life? what's my purpose? is there a God? He's been trying to speak to us since the OT but we haven't always had the discipline to deafen our ears to the senseless noise that surrounds us. in the past, i confess i placed a disproportionate amount of weight on anything that sounded pleasing at the time. but through years of asking for more wisdom, making lots of mistakes along the way and taking conscious steps toward obedience, He's increasing my desire for truth instead of flattery and bringing revelation to discern hearing what is good vs. evil.
my ears have heard of You. i can't wait to see You.

¹⁸ For such people are not serving our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of naive people. ¹⁹ Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice because of you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil. Romans 16.

³² With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him. Daniel 11

say what you mean and mean what you say.