A cashier in a bank related how in the early years of his employment he had experienced a wide range of challenges. Part of his role was to accept cash credits from all sorts of businesses and though many were easily dealt with, some were not so pleasant. These included notes paid in by fishmongers and butchers and invariably the notes were accompanied by a strong smell of fish or even small pieces of meat.
Part of the cashier’s role was to sort the notes paid in so that only those notes acceptable to a receiving customer were dispensed. Recalling that story, I was reminded of Jesus’ words recorded in Matthew 15 verse 11 (NIV) “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them”.
Those of you old enough to remember the BBC programme The Clitheroe Kid way recall his teacher saying, “Clitheroe, when I talk to you, it goes in one ear and out the other!” to which Jimmy Clitheroe responded, “Well Sir when it comes out it has been sifted!”
May God help us to be sifters guided by God so that what “comes out” will not defile those who hear us, but rather, in the words of the psalmist, (1:14) May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord my rock and my redeemer. AMEN