observations at the lipstick counter...

the cosmetics counter at neiman marcus was jammed..it was noontime...and i just wanted to slip in...buy a lipstick...and be on my way...but the place was crawling with women all wanting to do the same thing...i took my position at the counter and waited...and watched...

one young would-be starlet...sporting a micromini and bee-stung lips fresh from the plastic surgeon's office...was huffy with the clerk and everyone else within earshot...the irony struck me...her ugly behavior cancelled out all her surgical efforts to look pretty...

then i glanced down the counter and saw a mom trying on countless nuanced shades of fuschia lipgloss while her five-year-old son waited by her side...he was patient for a few mnutes...and then he became squirmy and a little whiny...he's hungry, i thought - and empathized as i felt my own tummy growl for some lunch...after a minute or two of his repeated pleas of "can we goooooo now, please?" his mom had finally had it...she pushed her collection of fuschias aside and grabbed him by the forearm...nearly yanking his shoulder from its socket. "shut up! mommy's trying to buy something to make her look pretty. now straighten up...or i'll spank you in front of everyone!"

you want to look pretty? i thought. unclenching your teeth might be the ticket...poor kid...when he grows up...he'll wonder why he hates pink lipstick.

my attention was gradually diverted from that scene by the two women standing next to me...whose voices got louder and louder as they peppered their conversation with gossip...they prattled on...speaking foolishness and gushing folly as they gave each other the lowdown on everyone they knew...i felt relieved that i'd never met them...so i wasn't on their list...i had to bite my lip to keep from smiling when one said, "i don't know why they're so mad at me. i never say anything about anyone!"

that day at the lipstick counter i saw the tremendous power of our lips...we put on lipgloss...but forget to smooth our conversation...we make our lips bright with lipstick...but forget to smile...we obsess over how our lips look and then speak too much...too quickly...too harshly...

the book of proverbs is full of counsel about our lips:

"the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit"
provers 18:21

"the lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools"
proverbs 15:7

the heart...it seems...is the heart of the matter...you see...the root issue isn't really the lips at all...it's the heart...Jesus even said, "out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks" (matthew 12:34). we can't change what comes from our lips unless we change our hearts...no matter how much we may try to speak wisely, kindly, or lovingly, in our own effort it will only be our own effort...we can't change from the outside in...but Christ can change us from the inside out. (amen!) the more of Him we have...the more like Him we behave...in our attitudes, actions...and speech...and as He transforms us...Jesus says, "the good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him" (matthew 12:35)

we've all been at the receiving end of harsh or thoughless words...sometimes it takes only a second to inflict deep wounds...but it might take years for them to heal...we've seen how God heals us of the words spoken to and about us that have caused us pain...now it's up to us to guard our own tongues...so that the things we say will bring no harm to others...

never underestimate the importance of your lips...there's a power there - for good and evil...

that day at the makeup counter i learned a valuable lesson...and every day as i put on my new lipstick...i offer a silent prayer..."may the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, o Lord" (psalm 19:14)

a word is dead when it is said, some say...i say it just begins to live that day - emily dickinson

violence of the tongue is very real - sharper than any knife - mother theresa