Fungi

I noticed a few mushrooms growing in my newest flower bed next to the house. My son-in-law even commented on it Saturday evening, while we were grilling out near the area. My daughter-in-law said she had the same kind growing at her house, even though she doesn’t have any mulch.

Mushrooms

This morning I looked out and couldn’t believe my eyes. We have had a lot of rain lately, and I have had a mushroom population explosion. From a few clumps of mushrooms, overnight came this…..

Mushroom population explosion.

So…..I looked up mushrooms on the internet to see what would cause such an overgrowth. At http://www.gardenguides.com they said…”Mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of fungi responsible for breaking down decaying organic matter in the soil such as old mulch, pet waste and dying plant matter.” They provide a beneficial purpose and do not harm living plants.

My daughter has been doing a study about gossip and what the Bible says about it. Recently she referenced 1 Timothy 5:13 which speaks of women being idle, and wandering from house to house being tattlers (gossips), busybodies, and telling things they shouldn’t. (My paraphrase).

When I was looking at all the mushrooms this morning all I could think about was words. These mushrooms are like our words. They can explode and be a beneficial thing, or they can be ugly and hard to look at. (I would much rather see a bed of flowers than these weird-looking mushrooms.)

As I thought about words I thought of all the Proverbs that tell us how to handle them.

–  “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.” Proverbs 12:18

–  “Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker; and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.” Proverbs 17:5

–  “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” Proverbs 17: 28

–  “A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards.” Proverbs 29:11

–  “She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.” Proverbs 31: 26

After doing the study on gossip, my daughter laughingly made the comment that she would have to become mute.

I have been thinking about all this for some time myself. When I think about opening my mouth and only wisdom and kindness should come out…..that leaves very little to say.

So…..today maybe we should think about the words we speak….evaluate them before they come out. I think if we follow the Proverbs, we will become a much quieter people.

You know they say…..”Silence is golden.”