News Travels Fast!

We have been giddy with excitement about two new food and drink establishments that have opened in the Village of Sherman! Last week on Monday, McDonalds celebrated their ribbon cutting ceremony and Hae’s Coffee and Bakery opened their drive-through two days later. We feel special to have several restaurant options now along with a grocery store, pharmacy, filling station-convenience store, two banks, a post office, a complete auto repair shop, and two health-care facilities! What more could a growing community want?!

Grand Opening Day!

Our Texas family keeps up on the local “goings on” through social media. Marc was one of the first to text, “The news has made it to the south that the Golden Arches have moved into Sherman, IL! I hope you’ve dropped into the madness for an ice cream cone!” He knows his mother’s love of that delicious soft-serve cone! Matt soon retrieved several photos of the grand opening from the same media source and passed them along within minutes of his brother’s text!

There was a time in American history when it took weeks and months for news to travel great distances across our country. Now, we get impatient with the amount of time it takes for a letter to get across town by conventional postal service (and I use the word service loosely!). We think our mail must go to St. Louis to be sorted so that it can come back to Sherman to be sorted again and put into our PO Box! What has changed? You already know! Mobile phones, texting, emails, FaceTime, and social media have given us instant accessibility in our communication!

Did you hear about the church gossip, Mildred? She was the self-appointed moral authority as well. One day, she accused George, a new member, of having a drinking problem because she saw his truck parked in front of the town bar. Mildred started gossiping about him so that everyone would know what he was doing there. George was a man of few words and chose not to explain or defend himself. Instead, he said nothing. But he did stealthily park his truck in front of Mildred’s residence later that evening. And left it there all night! (Credit: Murray Hibbard, GCFL.)

Someone once remarked, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop, and idle words are his favorite tool!” This almost sounds like Scripture, but there are many actual references in the Bible about controlling one’s speech. “You must not pass along false rumors.” (Exodus 23:1, NLT). “Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut.” (Proverbs 10:19). “If you claim to be religious, but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless.” (James 1:26).

On one occasion, I remember a professor saying to our college class, “We are drowning in a sea of words!” He was clearly miffed that several classmates were inattentive and impolitely whispering to friends during his class lecture! His point makes sensible how George responded in the funny illustration when he chose to “shut his mouth,” but “answer” and make his point with action instead!

Jesus offered this sobering assessment of idle speech in a parable about how “A tree is identified by its fruit.” He said, “And I tell you this, you must give account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.” (Matthew12:36-37).

What difference or impact would our everyday speech make if our thoughts and words aligned with God’s character and His will? Let’s pray as the Psalmist, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (Ps. 19:14).

Mike Keppler, retired pastor,
active churchman and
doting grandparent.
Contact: drmjkeppler@gmail.com
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