I think the preacher meant to say "Lot went to pitch his tents."
It kinda reminds me of the time our Headmaster misread something in his morning announcements that were being broadcast over the intercom throughout the school. I remember that he was supposed to say, "Teachers may pick up their ditto 'sheets' at the office," but it didn't exactly come out that way.
Maybe our minds are in the gutter most of the time. Is it only our desire to please others keeps us from letting people see our inner thoughts? Can a prayerful life control the tongue? I guess none of us is perfect, and the inner thoughts that slip out can not only make people laugh but can cause people to cry as well. I think James had something to say about that,
"Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you realize that we will be judged more strictly, for we all fall short in many respects. If anyone does not fall short in speech, he is a perfect man, able to bridle his whole body also.
If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we also guide their whole bodies.
It is the same with ships: even though they are so large and driven by fierce winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot's inclination wishes.
In the same way the tongue is a small member and yet has great pretensions. Consider how small a fire can set a huge forest ablaze.
The tongue is also a fire. It exists among our members as a world of malice, defiling the whole body and setting the entire course of our lives on fire, itself set on fire by Gehenna.
For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings who are made in the likeness of God.
From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. This need not be so, my brothers."
James 3: 1-10
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Those "tongue is a fire" verses really give me pause, every time I read them. I cringe at the things I've said over the years which will come back to haunt me. Thanks God for His grace.
ReplyDeleteCheers.
I too pray for forgivenes for those things that I have said and undoubtedly will say in the future. Thank God for His mercy.
ReplyDeleteOops, a typo: "forgiveness."
ReplyDeleteMany years ago the deputy Head at the C of E primary school I taught at was reading the Gospel at the Termly communion service . She was supposed to read Jesus Fasted for 40 days and 40 nights . She only got one letter wrong
ReplyDeleteRecording sermons is also the corrective. On Monday morning, "after the game," you look at the video, evaluate the sermon, make a note of what you did well and what you did not do so well. You also make note of the "bloopers." You can actually use video clips of sermon bloopers in future sermons, for example, as illustrations.
ReplyDeletePreachers. after all, are human beings and fallible. Your congregation will think more highly of you if you admit to your mistakes instead of pretending your perfect.
Robin,
ReplyDeleteWould that we had such due diligence in both the sermon prep and post game analysis.
Recording sermons might provide a palliative for the more egregious nods to the liberal agenda.
ReplyDeleteMy worst gaffe was on Christmas eve in 2004--mispronouncing the word "organism" in a sentence that went something like this: "we see so many wonderful 'orgasms'..."
ReplyDeleteIt was awful and, thankfully, not recorded.