 It’s a five-syllable made-up word, Coined by comedian Mike Goodwin’s mama. Mike, who’s entertained us at Christmas banquets, Hails from the South and shares his mama’s wisdom: “Whatchanotgonedo is run in and out of this house.” “Whatchanotgonedo is stand in front of the fridge with the door open.” “Whatchanotgonedo is sit on that phone while it’s thundering and lightning.” The Holy Spirit gave me a twist on this phrase: “Whatchanotgonesay.” Changing speech is harder than teaching manners— Maybe because it involves the jaw, Our strongest muscle by weight. A thought enters the mind, Drops to the tongue, The jaw instinctively moves— And the damage is done. Or, if it’s a generous thought, We speak life and encouragement. Since that’s no harder than criticism, Why does our damage Outproduce our encouragement? There must be an easy fix. But God’s Word says otherwise. The apostle James tells us: Wild animals are easier to tame than the tongue. The tongue… It is restless and evil, Full of deadly poison. (James 3:8) If the task is that massive, Why even try? I could spend my life taming a tiger— And end up as its lunch. Taming the tongue on our own? A fail. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, We’ve got an edge. He prompts me: “Silence is best in this situation.” The situations vary, But the theme is the same: I’m about to speak negativity To someone who doesn’t meet my expectations. I think, “I’ve got this figured out—but you don’t.” The Spirit whispers: “Whatchanotgonesay.” Sometimes I spot flaws in new ideas. “I’ll wear the black hat,” I tell myself. But my timing’s off— And a great idea gets crushed Along with the idea-maker’s creativity. The Spirit nudges: “Whatchanotgonesay.” Another situation is Likely a personal one. The Spirit reminds me to eliminate the numbers From casual conversations. I attend business meetings, Where numbers are analyzed and dissected. But there are many other dialogs, When the Spirit says, “Eliminate numbers, they’re Whatchanotgonesay.” The common thread? Elevating myself above others. Making myself look good at another’s expense. My journey is progress, not perfection. And every time I stumble, I’m turning the key To enter the lion’s cage. But if I pause, I hear the Spirit say, “Whatchanotgonesay.” –Mark Coblentz Did you enjoy today’s message? Share it with a friend! Questions or comments email team@2minmark.com First time reader? Subscribe Here |
NEXT UP: Back to a 2 post from Wendell, “God’s Strength in Weakness” Part I.