.....bagpipes

If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning, it will be taken as a curse. Proverbs 27:14

There’s a humorous tale about a young Scotsman named Donald MacDonald who left the Isle of Skye to attend Oxford University. His family was proud but nervous — how would this Highland lad manage among the English? After a month, his mother came to visit. “What do you think of the English students, Donald?”

“Mother,” he said, “they’re dreadfully noisy. One bangs his head on the wall. The other screams all night.” Shocked, she asked, “How do you cope with such awful neighbors?” Donald grinned. “I just ignore them and sit here quietly, playing my bagpipes.”

This story serves as a reminder that the people we find irritating may find us irritating, too -- and perhaps for better reason! We may think we’re blessing people with our enthusiasm, our strongly-held opinions, our eagerness to help, or our early-morning inspiration. But our timing or our tone can easily turn a well-meant gesture into an unwelcome intrusion.

That’s exactly what Proverbs 27:14 warns against. This verse isn’t just about the volume of our voice or the time of the day — it’s about consideration. Thoughtfulness. Recognizing that not everyone lives on our schedule or shares our preferences. It's often not what we do, but how and when we do it that makes all the difference between blessing people and bothering them.

Donald may have thought he was minding his own business, but his “quiet” bagpipes were part of the problem. This happens to us more than we like to admit. We need to take an honest look at how our words or actions are affecting those around us — not just from our well-intentioned perspective, but from theirs.

That’s not to say that we should tiptoe through life, afraid to say or do anything, but we ought to live with genuine awareness and care for others. Whether it’s our words, our habits, our social media posts, or our “bagpipes,” may we always seek to bring joy and blessing to others’ lives, not just noise.

- alan smith

Father, help me to be more aware of how my actions and words affect others. Give me the wisdom to speak at the right time, in the right tone. Show me how to be a genuine blessing to those around me. In Jesus’ name, amen.