What's for dinner? "Chewing on the hard things..."

God often gives us things to "chew on."  Sometimes they come through His word, sometimes they come through the mouths of others. Do we take those criticisms, corrections, and commands and begin to chew on them and try to "swallow"?  Or do we simply spit them out?

He renewed that thought in me this morning while drying my hair...odd timing. His timing is like that- the still, small voice when we're allowing quietness in our lives, or when it sneaks in. When we are too full of ourselves, our agenda and busyness, God is crowded out. Oh, he is still there, but he can not teach and help our spirits the way he can when we diligently seek time with him. Soon our surroundings will influence us more than God's Words to us.

So, back to "chewing". I remember hearing people say something smart and end with, "Chew on that a while!" I suppose most of you have heard that term. Often, things are said to us that are hurtful. Either it's the thing that was said, or the way it was said, or both. But, often what we fail to realize that there is typically some truth in most things we do not want to hear! We need to be humble enough to take the meat off and spit out the bones, so to speak. Take what is said and try to make it useful for us! This, my friend, will make you grow! And, as for those rude people who tell us things poorly and hurt our feelings. Just love them anyway. Doing otherwise won't make you feel any better, though you may want avoid placing yourself  in the middle of a food fight with them!