Lessons from a Country View

I’ve always considered myself a city girl, even though I’ve spent much of my life living in very small towns. I love the hustle/bustle of the city. The skyscrapers. The variety of choices of places to eat and things to do. I don’t even mind the traffic for the most part.

That being said, my husband is a country boy. He would have been happy farming, had God not called him to the ministry before we met. He prefers small town life; doesn’t even really enjoy going to the city.

Imagine his surprise when the house I chose for our “forever” home is two miles out of our small town. Yes, I was shocked, too, but as I tell him daily – I love our house!

We’d been looking at houses online for over a year but this was the first (and only) house I went to see in person. Our first viewing was on August 19, 2023; the second viewing on August 22^nd. We then made an offer and within a week the offer was accepted and the inspection took place. Why is this timeline important? Because the crops were still in the fields when we moved into our home the end of September. Just past our back yard is a field – the crop last year was soybeans. SHORT soybeans. We could see forever. Okay, maybe not quite forever, but we could see quite a distance. A row of trees on the other side of the field and tracks where we’d often see trains rolling by. We could even see beyond that, since Illinois is so flat.

Fast forward to this spring. The farmer switched crops (my husband tells me that is normal) and planted TALL corn this year. Corn in our area grows to be about 10 feet tall. As the corn began to come up I quickly realized it wouldn’t be long until the corn would block our view and we wouldn’t be able to see beyond our own back yard. It didn’t take me long to begin teasing my husband, telling him the farmer had planted “midget” corn. Of course, he and I both knew I was wrong and it was only a matter of time until the corn would grow quite tall.

Then the unthinkable happened. The farmer came in with his big equipment and took out the corn crop and then replanted the field. Why? Most likely it was not a strong enough stand and the insurance covered the cost of replanting. We waited, wondering if he’d plant another crop of corn or if it was too late for that and instead he’d plant soybeans. Before long, corn began to appear. Drats!

I feel I need to pause with a disclaimer at this point. If you are a farming family, please hear the humor in my words. I totally understand and appreciate that farmers grow what is best for their livelihood, as it should be. The farmers’ crops are MUCH MORE important than my views beyond my back yard.

However, I tell my story because I think it illustrates a Biblical truth.

Words matter! No, my words did not cause that crop to fail, but words can cause a Christian brother or sister to stumble. Words can cause a non-believer to question the validity of our faith. Words can cause destruction and heartache.

There are many Bible verses about hurtful words. Our tongues, small as they are (according to James) can be brutal. Likewise, there are Bible verses that admonish us to use words that build up, that affirm, that bring peace and joy. Verses like the Psalm of David: Keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies. Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it. (Psalm 34:13-14)

When we use our words to encourage others we help them to grow tall, being who God designed them to be.

We must ask ourselves some tough questions. Do we use our words for good? Always? Or are we sometimes guilty of using our words for harm? Do we speak to our spouses kindly even when we are frustrated by something they’ve done? Do we use our words to guide our children toward appropriate behavior without destroying a part of them in the process? Do we confess our workplace mistakes to our boss or do we place blame elsewhere?

It is my prayer that you and I will call out to God as David did: May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

Let’s use our words wisely.

When Jeanette Cloyd isn’t busy looking beyond her back yard, her days are spent working alongside her husband Brent who is the Associational Mission Strategist of Greater Wabash Baptist Association, caring for their son Brock, visiting her dad and the other residents of the Assisted Living Facility in Fairfield, and doing volunteer work. At day’s end, she spends time indulging her creative side by making cards, which can be seen on her blog Cre8tive Play, Facebook, and Instagram.