Don't Feed the Bears

Several years ago I was reading in the bible and I came across this verse in 2 Kings 2:23-25. The verse talks about Elisha going up on a mountain, boys making fun of bald people, a curse, and bears eating kids. No seriously.. check it out. So I was wondering what does this verse have to do with anything? Why would you include something like this in the bible?

Later I was reading in the new testament Ephesians 4:29. "Let no unwholesome talk come from your mouths, only that which is for the building up of others." When I read that verse I immediately remembered the verse in 2 Kings about bears eating kids. As I sat and put 2 and 2 together I drew the simple conclusion that the kids made fun of Elisha, and bears ate the kids.

I know this is way oversimplified and I am not sure that if we make fun of people then bears will come eat us but it is food for thought. How different would our worlds be if we took the verse in Ephesians to heart and did not let any words escape our mouths except those that built each other up? If you are a youth director or a parent, how different would our schools be? For you pastors and worship leaders how different would your churches be? How different would our families be?

I know the damage and pain that can be dealt when we gossip, lie, or just say things that don't need to be said. I have done it, I have received it. I know what happens when people are talked about, when half truths are passed on, and when emails are forwarded. James 3:5 tells us "that a great forest is set ablaze by a small fire, and the tongue is a fire!" Let me tell you that fire burns. It burns down friendships, it burns down relationships it can burn down a family, or a group, or a church.

It was in keeping those two verses and these thoughts in mind that I wrote the song "Don't Feed the Bears" It is a humorous take on a serious problem. When I have done it in camps I have heard youth later tell each other, when they heard someone say something they shouldn't, "Don't Feed the Bears" I thought I would share this song with you, maybe it will help you, and me think about what we say.

I have a live version posted it on my music facebook page.