The Feather Pillow

The following was inspired by my friend, host for Xtreme Christian Outdoors and Associate Pastor Jeff Deaver.

One day a jewish man went to speak to his Rabbi.  Teacher he said, I have been heart broken over the loss of a good friend.  Why my son, the Rabbi responded.  It is because of my tongue.  I have finally realized that I am a gossip and my words have hurt many people, even my family.  The loss of my friend is just one of many relationships I have damaged.  The Rabbi bowed his head for a moment, then looked the jewish man in the eye and asked what he desired?  The jewish man said he sought forgiveness and to undo the damage he has caused.  The Rabbi asked the Jewish man if he had a feather pillow in which he said; yes teacher.  Bring the feather pillow to the Temple tomorrow.

The next day the Jewish man, confused how the feather pillow would pay for his penance, brought it to the Rabbi at the Temple.  The Rabbi took the feather pillow from the Jewish man and cut it open with a sharp knife, causing the delicate feathers to rise out of the pillow and be carried by the open air to the window and wished away by the breeze.  The Rabbi fluffed the pillow two more times causing even more feathers to seek flight, then he turned to the jewish man and said; bring me all the feathers that have escaped from this pillow.  The Jewish man looked at the feathers floating out the window and said; that's impossible!  The Rabbi said; the feathers are like your words, they can never be retrieved to undo the damage they caused...


Ephesians 4:29-32: 
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.



Just once, I would like some one to say;  Ernie, this is me (because this is "me").  No, not all the time - but enough and very recent.

Forgive me Lord and kill the crop my words have seeded...

My definition of gossip;  Hearing from the jaw bone of an ass (me) rather than the horses mouth!