Do I Just Say That?

By Pastor Shana Wise

Have you ever said something to someone else and it hurt their feelings?

Have you ever spoken something out of anger and afterward regretted it?

Has anyone ever spoken something to you that hurt you deeply and only God could heal you from it?

There was a TV show back in the 90s titled Family Matters. It had a character named Steve Urkel. Steve was known for being clumsy and making a mess of things, and every time he did this he would say, “Did I do that?”. This was a punchline that would make the viewing audience laugh.

That TV show came to mind as I was thinking about some of the words that come out of our mouths. Especially when we know we have messed up. We say, “Did I say that?”. Once hurtful words have left our mouths and have been received by the other person, we cannot take them back. Often the damage is done, because it’s not what we said, it is the spirit behind what we said.

Like the audience laughed at Steve Urkel when he would say, “Did I do that?”, the devil is laughing at us when we do damage with our words.

James 1:18-20 (NIV) My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.

What comes out of our mouths reflects the condition of our hearts. Let us examine three women from the bible who spoke words that reflected the condition of their hearts at the time. Miriam was a prophetess (leader), Michal was a wife, and Martha was a sister. Let’s see if we fall into any of these women’s stories as they reflect on how we are choosing to use our words.

Miriam

Numbers 12:1-3 Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. 2 So they said, “Has the Lord indeed spoken only through Moses? Has He not spoken through us also?” And the Lord heard it. 3 (Now the man Moses was very humble, more than all men who were on the face of the earth.)

Numbers 12:9 So the anger of the Lord was aroused against them, and He departed. 10 And when the cloud departed from above the tabernacle, suddenly Miriam became leprous, as white as snow.

Miriam is a woman who reminds us that you can be anointed and still have an unchecked heart condition. Miriam was the first woman in the bible recognized as a Prophetess. She led the women of Israel into a song and dance after God delivered them from Pharaoh. She was instrumental in her brother Moses’ life. Yet, during their journey in the wilderness, she and her brother Aaron spoke against Moses and his wife. She had an issue with Moses’ wife from Ethiopia. She had a problem with her brother’s position as the leader of Israel. She let the environment of the children of Israel regularly complaining against Moses and God affect her. When Merriam and Aaron spoke against Moses, God immediately responded, he corrected them, and Miriam was struck with leprosy. Moses had to intercede on behalf of her and Aaron. Miriam was isolated for seven days because of her condition.

Miriam ended up sick with the disease because of the condition of her heart. She let ill feelings towards her brother and his wife build up over a period and it caused her to react negatively. God sees what’s in our hearts even when man does not. Let not our title, position, pride, past, or the environment cause us to sin by harboring ill feelings in our hearts.

Do you have unresolved feelings in your heart concerning someone else? Have you acknowledged them to God and let him correct or heal you?

Michal

2 Samuel 6:16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul’s daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.

2 Samuel 6:20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”

2 Samuel 6:23 Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

Michal was the daughter of King Saul and the wife of King David. Michal loved David more than her father. Yet, her love for him was conditional. She loved him when he was winning battles when he was home with her, and so on. Yet, when he danced before the Lord until he became naked because he and his army recovered the Ark of the Lord, she despised him.

Michal’s top priority was her and her husband’s appearance to others. She was more concerned about what the crowd thought about them and what God thought. This caused her to speak against her husband. What she said reflected her attitude against him and God. King David's response was a rebuke (2 Samuel 6:21-22). Michal could not have children due to her behavior that day.

The lesson we can learn from Michal is to make sure that we have a relationship with God. That we are worshipping him for ourselves. When we worship God in spirit and truth, it will cause our hearts to be fixed on him and not others. Lastly, when we worship God for ourselves it will cause us to respect our spouses and see them as God sees them.

Martha

Luke 10:38 Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore, tell her to help me.”

Luke 10:41-42 And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. 42 But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

Martha complained to Jesus about her sister not helping her serve. Martha speaking in this manner aimed to embarrass her sister in front of the guest in her house. Martha’s focus was off, even in the presence of Jesus. Jesus addresses the issue of her heart by saying, You are worried and troubled about many things.What she spoke about her sister was not the real issue, the issue Martha had was what was consuming her heart, which was the spirit of worry and anxiety.

Jesus’ response to Martha was for her to take note of where her sister Mary's focus was, which was sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening. Jesus wanted Martha and us to know that when you are in his presence, worry, anxiety, and anything else competing with his attention needs to flee. Jesus wants our focus to be on him. When we do this, everything else will work itself out. Serving in his presence will be a joy, not a burden.

Words matter—the condition of our hearts matters. Our speech will reflect what is abiding in our hearts. God wants our whole heart not just part of it. Give God your heart today. Worship and walk with him daily. When you do this, it will change your heart and your speech.

Watch the video on our YouTube Channel The Well Christian Women's Network.

About the Author

Dr. Shana Wise is an ordained Pastor who founded and oversees Wise Choice Ministries with her husband Pastor Ron Wise. She is also the CEO and founder of The Well Christian Women’s Network. Dr. Wise is the author of Women’s Devotionals Acts of Intercession and Chief Women Arise, The Impact of Your Election, and the Basic Ministry Training Manual (all available on Amazon). She received a Doctor of Divinity degree in 2019 from St. Thomas Christian University. Her passion is to teach and preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, equip others to apply the Word to their lives and demonstrate it through the power of the Holy Spirit. She is a televangelist who appears on social media outlets. Shana is married and has four children.

For speaking engagements email: wisechoiceministries512@gmail.com.

Books available on Amazon:

Acts of Intercession

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1721143629/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BuKbFb8FMZHEB

The Impact of Your Election

https://www.amazon.com/dp/1792003307/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_vvKbFbA33J669

Basic Ministry Training Manual

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08ZBRS8XP?pf_rd_r=RNTWKYAH1KWS6353VH5D&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=372a05c9-a618-4cba-bc09-a70cad4bfa18&pd_rd_w=ZEyWA&pd_rd_wg=PKaT4&ref_=pd_gw_unk

Chief Women Arise

https://www.amazon.com/Chief-Women-Arise-Womens-Devotional-ebook/dp/B09C29DJLM/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=chief+women+arise+shana+wise&qid=1628548608&sr=8-1

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