Over the years, God has used many people to send me a message loud and clear. One day as we were crossing the Causeway, Jeanne
was reading the Bible and shared with me Proverbs 17:28, “Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is counted wise: and he who shuts his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”
Being a defensive person, I immediately said, “Why did you read that to me?” She answered, “I just thought you would like that.” Believe me, today I realize that Scripture was written especially for me.  
A few weeks ago, my friend C.J. Tastet gave me a slip of paper that read: “In company, guard your tongue; in your family, guard your temper; when alone, guard your thoughts.”
Those three warnings are for everyone, especially, self-righteous Christians like me. I’ve had trouble guarding my tongue in a group. I’m reminded of Proverbs 29:11, “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.”  Many times, I’ve been guilty of not guarding my tongue, and I always feel bad about acting the part of a fool.
Another serious weakness I’ve had is guarding my temper in family matters. Many times, people would remark to Jeanne that I was such a nice person. When telling me this, she would then add, “If only they knew.” She called me “an out angel” and “a house devil.” I’ve come a long way in that area but still have a long way to go.
The last warning is guarding your thoughts when you’re alone. There is a saying that idleness is the devil’s workshop. That’s an area I struggle with. The reason is because in the first two, people see me at my worst and can judge my actions.  My thoughts are only known to God! To guard my thoughts, I must allow Him to increase in my life while my selfish desires decrease.  
The good news is that I know God loves me just the way I am, but He refuses to let me stay that way. His desire is for me to become the man He created me to be.
If you have any questions or comments, please write to Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477, or email hkeller@comcast.net.