“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” Ephesians 4:29
“You have big ears.” Well, there it is. I was helping with the party trailer at Vacation Bible School the other day. I was in charge of boxing up the popcorn and then handing it to the kids. It’s always hard being the popcorn guy because we are competing against the snow cone people and the cotton candy people. Even a blind guy can see who is going to come in third in that deal. Art Linkletter used to have a television show that featured him interviewing kids. The show was called “Kids Say the Darnedest Things.” It was called that because, well, kids say the darnedest things. I looked up darnedest and found out that it was a colloquial American slang term used to describe something incredibly surprising, odd, or amazing. I guess that’s where my ears come in.
Now, back to being the popcorn guy. I already have rejection issues and this didn’t help. Some kids were kind when I offered them popcorn. And, actually more than a few accepted my offer. More than a few though looked at me like I was offering them a serving of roadkill. Like I said, what is popcorn compared to snow cones and cotton candy. So, we were down to waiting for the last group and that is when it happened.
I was sitting there talking with a couple of my buddies and this kid walked up. Actually, he had been kinda hanging around so I think he must have belonged to someone…I mean like someone on staff. Anyway, he gives me this kinda look and then he said the darnedest thing. He said, “You have big ears.” Well I was kinda taken a back so I said, “Say what?” He said it again, “You have big ears.” Well, I wasn’t sure what to say so I said, “Well, and I called his name, thank you for confirming what I thought I already knew.” Like I said, kids say the darnedest things.
He was right of course. It all started in my childhood when two of my sisters (bless their hearts) would hold me down, tickle me and pull my ears. The bottom line is they did it enough that my ears got bigger and never retreated. I’ve looked at them in the mirror ever since and thought to myself, “Man I have big ears.” And the little kid just confirmed it for me. I did ask him who he thought gave me these ears and he said my Momma did. I told him he was right but who else? He thought about it but didn’t have another answer so I said, “God did.” I went on to explain that meant that they were exactly the ones that God wanted me to have. It was a good answer but it didn’t solve the big ear dilemma.
Well, in the end I laughed it all off. After all, kids do say the darnedest things. But remember while that may sometimes excuse kids, it doesn’t excuse adults who also say the darnedest things. We can excuse the kids because maybe they don’t know better but we big people do. And, trust me, as a pastor I had my share of darnedest things said to me…though I’m not sure anyone ever comment on my ears. Weight–sure. Height–sure. Sermons–double sure. How I dressed–sure and double sure. Sometimes those darnedest things bounced off but sometimes they left scars. So have you ever said a darnedest thing and wish you hadn’t. Truth is we all have.
The Bible warns us to be careful about darnedest things and we would be wise to heed the call…especially if it involves ears. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of a darnedest thing just remember this. Jesus loves you and He doesn’t care how big your ears are or how much you weigh. After all, He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne
Grits with Grace 