CP 299 Right - and wrong - accidental words

CP 299 Accidental right – or wrong – words Sometimes a different word comes out of your mouth, or off your lips, than what you meant to say. Sometimes it’s good. Sometimes it’s not. A very simple example happened to me about 15 years ago when I sent all of you an email with the latest CrossPurposes and addressed you as Dear FIENDS! That was an accidental misspelling. I had another beauty a couple of weeks ago while I was doing the committal at a funeral service for a much loved 95 year old woman. I got to the point where the Pastor says, ‘Therefore we commit her body to be…’ Now I would have sworn that I used the words to be cremated. However, my darling wife, who is so used to me that I believe she expects me to stumble, declares to one and all that what I actually said was, …to be CREATED! In the context of faith that’s not a bad mistake on my part, don’t you think? Having shared that, I thought I’d remind you of a story I wrote about in my ‘It Happens – Grace Surprises’ book from 2007. I happened on a November Confirmation Sunday in 1986. With all eleven young people making ready to publicly declare their faith, the place was packed to the rafters. All the eleven children to be confirmed were sitting in a row across the front of the church. As usual I got all the children present that day to come forward for the kids’ talk. I asked them if they could tell me what was different about the church today. Answers came: There’s lots of people, the flowers are bigger and better, the colours of the altar cloths have changed from green to red, there are different banners on the wall, and more in that vein. My second question was, “Well, what’s happening here today?” Young Werner, whose two older brother were among those confirming their faith in Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord that day, immediately shot up his hand. “Yes, Werner?” I asked. “Ah… ah… ah… ah… ah… ah ...” I guess you know what it’s like. Werner’s “ahs” went on, and on, and on, and on. I did everything I could to encourage him. “Yes?” It didn’t help. “Ah… ah… ah… ah…” The congregation became utterly still, straining to hear what Werner might answer. Eventually the ah … ah… changed to, “These people behind us ah… ah… ah… ah… are going to get ah… ah… ah… CRUCIFIED!” The congregation roared… and paid no more attention. Me? Totally thrown by such an unexpected answer. The moment was lost and all I could do was wrap it up faster than you could say boo. It was only later, perhaps a year or so later, and after some reflection, that I realised my young friend had spoken God’s own truth that day! Pure inspiring theology. Jesus did say, “Unless you take up your cross and follow me you cannot be my disciple.”