Tape - Holy Duct Tape by Sharon Heagy

The conversation whirled around me as I sat and listened. Theories and opinions stated as truth without investigation. Attacks and slander stated by people who didn’t know and didn’t care if the people involved actually committed the acts they purported. So, I turned off the TV.

Sometimes the same thing happens during an in-person conversation. It begins as a respectful discussion and somehow descends into some sort of ‘I’m right and you’re wrong,’ mudslinging, toxic event. When this occurs that old familiar discomfort starts in my belly, clenching muscles, heightened nerves. An anger fire starts and burns up into my chest, heading upward, towards my lips. It’s then I ask the Lord to apply holy duct tape. Please shut my mouth and stop me from adding fuel to the conflagration. Give me wisdom to pour out words of living water to put the fire out and restore unity, respect, kindness and friendship. We can all get carried away with our passions now and then.

Looking back to the days before belief in the Lord turned into relationship, there were many times I wish someone had put out my fire before I said something hurtful and explosive as my body shook in response to something I thought was ‘just wrong!’ Maybe it was, maybe it wasn’t but my response did absolutely nothing to glorify God.

I am thankful for God’s duct tape. It helps me to be less sarcastic and flip. Not everyone appreciates my sometimes-warped sense of humour. Not everyone needs to hear my voice all the time. Yes, there are still times when I rip the duct tape off and blurt out whatever my knee jerk reaction might be without regard to God or the people I am with, or the warning bells going off in my own brain. It stings to tear duct tape from my skin and it is always followed by regret. Then I find myself once more praying for the fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 22 -23, “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” And God is changing me from the inside out, but it’s a journey.

As writers we must also be careful with the words we write, especially when writing about a passionate subject. One that is dear to our hearts. It’s important that we don’t intentionally offend, though sometimes when people disagree with what we’ve written they may take offence, but this is just fall out. Particularly if it’s a sensitive subject. It does no good in helping people understand your position by being headstrong or by bullying. We can use bold, strongly worded sentences without insulting or belittling our readers. Words have power. Power to hurt, power to heal, power to increase understanding and power to provoke anger. Power to further God’s kingdom and power to drive people away.

All our work needs to be prayerfully committed to God, first and foremost. And one of the prayers I pray is that God would apply His holy duct tape as I ‘speak’ words onto the page. Help me as I edit, Lord, to use the duct tape to rip out words that don’t belong, that edify no one. And, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” (Psalm 19:14 NIV) God bless.