Another "pop" rang out in the kitchen. Music to my ears! When I'm canning, I listen eagerly for those pops that tell me the lids have sealed.
A properly sealed lid guarantees that the contents will keep and be safe to use. If air is allowed into the jar, bacteria will get in, which will spoil the food and harm or even kill those who eat it. That's why I test the seal.
When the jars cool, I tap each lid with my fingernail. The lids that have sealed airtight make a clear ring. But a dull thud tells me something is wrong. It could be a faulty lid, or a dirty jar, or not long enough processing in boiling water. Since I'm usually canning on hot summer days, I decide not to steam up the kitchen more with reprocessing the unsealed jar. Instead, I feel my family the food right away.
Though I often eat my words, I cannot easily remedy another kind of broken seal in my life. The spilled contents can do lasting harm. The words that come out of my mouth sometimes ring clear and true. When God came into my life, He put the seal of His Spirit on me as a guarantee that the contents were pure and safe for Him to use for the good of others. What joy to know that He is pleased with the sound of my voice and the contents within me!
Other times my words just thump dully. Somehow, I have allowed the seal to be broken. To discover the cause of the broken seal, there are several questions I should ask myself.
First, am I using a faulty lid? This happens when I try to control my own tongue--just "put a lid on it"--rather than let God seal me with His Holy Spirit. It never works. I simply cannot control what I say by my own will-power. If I try, I'll end up blurting words that I regret and that hurt others. God doesn't just put a clamp on my mouth. He changes the mind and heart that produce those words. The fruit of the Spirit, self-control, comes by yielding to His control.
Next, I should ask myself, have I been processed long enough? Have I allowed the Holy Spirit to process my heart thoroughly until every single dangerous "organism" is killed by the purifying heat of His fire?
Have my motives been purified? Or is there an urge behind my words to punish, hurt, or belittle? Am I trying to make myself look good or to get sympathy? I don't want to let what comes out of my mouth harm the people in my life by poison or spoilage. I want my words to nourish and strengthen.
Then, I should ask myself, is there an obstruction between the lid and the jar rim? Dirt or food can lodge in there and prevent a good seal. There may be irritations or obstacles in my life that I need to remove.
I may have a personality conflict with a work associate; or certain actions of my spouse make me angry. Perhaps I am impatient with my children at bedtime; or I fear financial loss or failing health. Whatever the problem, it can cause the seal of the Spirit on my life to be broken. My resulting attitude may obstruct my close communion with God until my words come out sounding harsh, bitter, and destructive.
If I bring the wrong attitude to Him, confessing it and giving the irritating situation to Him, He'll wipe clean the rim of my jar. Others will soon notice my words ringing clear again.
Even when a perfectly sealed jar is opened, the contents must be checked. When I open a jar of home-canned beans, I have to boil them for 20 minutes before we eat them, just to be sure any possibility of contamination is eliminated. Similarly, I need to regularly check the seal of my lips. The sounds they make are a good indication of the purity of the contents.
Jesus said, "For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34, NIV). What sort of heart brings forth pleasant, loving words and soft answers?
Jesus also said, "I am gentle and humble in heart" (Matthew 11:29, NIV).
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Copyright © 1982, 2006, Catherine Lawton