The Honey-Lipped Woman

Dear Diary,

Day 7 of the #Zip_it_40_Day_Challenge
#Shut_Down_the_Motormouth

Proverbs 5:3, “For the lips of a loose woman drip honey as a honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil.” Now, what gives an immoral woman power over a decent man? It’s the power of her words! Her lips drip honey and her speech is smoother than oil! How now? Yaani, she is filled with compliments and sweet words!

This is what I know, and if I know I know! From a personal experience, I have learned that a man longs to hear his woman say nice things to and about him! Now, when he misses to hear those nice things, an adulteress comes into his life. Her lips drip honey. Her speech is smoother than oil. She uses her lips and speech to reel a man in for a kill. Just like a Tilapia bites bait, the innocent man bites the honey-lipped compliments. Without realizing it, he gets hooked!

Granted! Her lips drip honey and her speech smoother than oil. Verses 4-6 tell us, “But in the end she is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a two-edged and devouring sword. Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold of Sheol (Hades, the place of the dead). She loses sight of and walks not in the path of life; her ways wind about aimlessly, and you cannot know them.”

My lady, don’t let a strange woman be the one to shower your knight with compliments! Don’t let your man get accustomed to your angry, hateful, mean and resentful speech. There are plenty of slay queens who will compliment him if you don’t! And you dear brother, please run away from that slay queen who is so generous with her compliments, it is no good thing!

Regards,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: A Rule for Conversations

KACHELBELA: A Rule for Conversations: Dear Diary, Day 6 of the #Zip_it_40_Day_Challenge #Shut_Down_the_Motomouth My speech will never be the same after these 40 Day C...

A Rule for Conversations

Dear Diary,

Day 6 of the #Zip_it_40_Day_Challenge

#Shut_Down_the_Motomouth

My speech will never be the same after these 40 Day Challenge so help me God!

Proverbs 4:24 says, “Keep your mouth free of perversity; keep corrupt talk far from your lips.” “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen,” Ephesians 4:29.

As human beings, whether a chatterbox or an introvert, our daily garrulity and banter conversations might have some profane, perfidious, arrogant, flattery, vain and trifling, contemptuous, railing and abusive words. Both the writer of Proverbs and Ephesians give us a doable rule for our conversations, i.e. to keep our mouths free of perversity and our lips from corrupt and unwholesome talk.

Merriam Webster defines these key words as follows: 1. Unwholesome, “Detrimental to physical, mental or moral well-being.” 2. Corrupt, “Morally degenerated, adulterated or debased speech.” 3. Perversity, “Turned away from what is right or good contrary to accepted standards.” So, perverse, corrupt and unwholesome talk is detrimental to physical, mental and/or moral well-being of a person. It could be an idle tale, a joke, and an irrelevant word. Such unwholesome and corrupt talk defiles people, injures souls and leaves fatal scars in people’s hearts. Besides, it grieves the Holy Spirit!

Words act in two ways: 1. Words are results, i.e. they come forth and show what’s inward; 2. Words are acts, i.e. they cause something beyond. Therefore it is prudent to double the guard over our mouths. Observe the rule: keep your mouth free of perversity and your lips from corrupt and unwholesome talk. Let only that which is helpful for building others up according to their needs proceed out of our mouths; only that which will benefit your listeners!

#Resolve

Psalm 141:3 is my earnest prayer, “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord, keep watch over the door of my lips, that no perverse, corrupt and unwholesome talk will come from my mouth. Amen!”

R,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: Mastering The Art of Listening

KACHELBELA: Mastering The Art of Listening: Dear Diary, Day 5 of the  #Zip_it_40_Day_Challenge #Shut_Down_the_Motormouth Here is a quotable quote, “Most people...

Mastering The Art of Listening

Dear Diary,

Day 5 of the #Zip_it_40_Day_Challenge

#Shut_Down_the_Motormouth

Here is a quotable quote, “Most people do not listen with the intent to understand; they listen with the intent to reply,” Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. Besides, the Holy Book teaches, “To answer before listening, that is folly and shame,” Proverbs 18:13. “Everyone should be quick to listen; slow to speak and slow to become angry…,” James 1:19.

Last week I had a confrontation with someone. Honestly, I was well-meaning, but when I said the first word, the person interjected me sharply! Considering there were people around, I shut up and went home. Few minutes later the person send me some short messages. I returned the text, “I wish ungeniskiza kwanza!” What followed were insults and condemnation but for once I behaved and restrained myself from texting back angrily. I apologized but was met with hostility and my apology trashed, so because I didn’t want the matter to escalate, I blocked the number! The next day, this person sought audience with me but honestly, I had shut down and didn’t want to listen! I regretted starting the conversation; I should have minded my own business!

I love what am learning on my Day 5, the challenge is to learn to listen. Hearing is not necessarily listening. Ouch! You see, I have some traits of a typical sanguine-I dominate conversations; sometimes am not so patient enough with slow talkers so I do them a favour; sorry, I interrupt the conversation and help them complete what I think they needed to say. Eeer, I love spontaneity and long talks make me slip into wonderland and a time into dystopia. To the introvert, kieleweke, just because you’re quiet and you let others do 99% of the talking, doesn’t mean you’re a good listener. 

Today’s world is high-tech, high speed, and the art of listening has become a rare gift. How then do I even master the art of listening? They say a good listener makes eye contact; doesn’t interrupt; listens without judgement; observes non-verbal signals; creates a suitable environment, makes it easy. Am not anywhere close to this kind of maturity!  To be a good listener, I know I need patience, love and insight. Listening prepares a person to speak well. I won’t add any more word; I repent for being a poor listener. I resolve to be an intentional listener, so help me God! “God, you know she talketh! Please help her to be quick to listen. Amen.”

R,

NzakuNashipae

KACHELBELA: Know, Understand, Be wise

KACHELBELA: Know, Understand, Be wise: Dear Diary, Day 4  # 40Day_Zip_it_Challenge # Shut_the_Motormouth # Know_Understand_be_Wise Proverbs 18:2 says, “A fool takes ...

Know, Understand, Be wise

Dear Diary,

Day 4 #40Day_Zip_it_Challenge

#Shut_the_Motormouth
#Know_Understand_be_Wise

Proverbs 18:2 says, “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding but only in expressing his opinion,” Ouch!

I remember sometime last year after our August General elections, I saw a post on Facebook which I instantaneously shared in a huff. Shortly, two facebookers namely, Kanini June and Risper Mrembo sent me a DM. I remember Risper telling me how the Holy Spirit nudged her to repent because of the malicious propaganda and lies that were being peddled through social media. June wrote to me, “Don’t be caught up in the politicians’ gibberish…” That day I learned a valuable lesson. (You girls are good people, true sister keepers.) Some people will delay speech and judgment until they are conversant with facts and situation. Others are prone to broadcast the alleged information, data or facts instantaneously whether they know or are ill-informed of the circumstances.

When you receive facts, data or information how do you respond there and then? Well, now you know, only a fool “takes no pleasure in understanding,” Proverbs 18:2.

Next time before you express your opinion, make sure you are well-versed; be aware and have understanding of the facts and circumstances and be wise how you respond. Knowledge is the facts, data, information, awareness or familiarity about a situation. Understanding is ability to decode meaning from the facts. Wisdom is the ability to discern inner qualities; insight; good sense or judgment.

Proverbs 24:3-4 says, “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.” Surely, it takes wisdom, knowledge and understanding to build, maintain and appreciate healthy and meaningful relationships. Only a fool “takes no pleasure in understanding,” and by so doing relationships are destroyed!

R,
Nzaku Nashipae

KACHELBELA: The Heart Tongue Connection

KACHELBELA: The Heart Tongue Connection: Dear Diary, On day 3 of the #Zip_it_40Day_Challenge #Shut_Down_the_Motomouth Yesterday I learned that nobody can tame the tong...

KACHELBELA: The Heart Tongue Connection

KACHELBELA: The Heart Tongue Connection: Dear Diary, On day 3 of the #Zip_it_40Day_Challenge #Shut_Down_the_Motomouth Yesterday I learned that nobody can tame the tong...

The Heart Tongue Connection

Dear Diary,

On day 3 of the #Zip_it_40Day_Challenge

#Shut_Down_the_Motomouth

Yesterday I learned that nobody can tame the tongue on his/her own will power; only with the help of the Holy Spirit. As prophet Zechariah declared, “It is not by power nor by might but by My Spirit,” says the Lord, Zech 4:6.

Both Matthew 12:33-34 and Luke 6:43-45, demonstrates a heart-tongue connection. “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good; or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad for a tree is recognized by its fruit,” Matt 12:33. In addition, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him…, for the mouth speaks what the heart is full of,” Matt:12:35; Luke 6:45. Further, “But the things that come out of a person's mouth come from the heart, and these defile them,” Matt 15:18. When evil resides in the heart, it will be exposed in perverse speech.

Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flow springs of life.” There are times we let unforgiveness, bitterness, anger, a critical spirit dock in our hearts! As a consequence, we let out unwholesome talk from our mouths, instead of what is helpful for building others up according to their needs.

The battle for verbal holiness starts in the heart. What have you stored up in your heart?

Now, I repent and resolve to allow the Holy Spirit to control my tongue. In addition, I resolve to fill my heart with “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things,” Phil 4:8.

Dear reader, I don’t know about your experience but make sure what you store up in your heart is the right stuff-pure, lovely, true, noble, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy.

R,

NzakuNashipae