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Words

Powerful. Inspiring. Cutting. Hurtful. Encouraging. Life-changing.
James says,
"With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God's likeness.Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."
(3:9-10)
The power of our words runs deep. With our very tongue, we have the ability to give life or to kill. This weekend, I made a poor decision with my words. I felt the sting of remorse as soon as I said it. The words flew out of my mouth like a darting arrow, cutting and harsh, insensitive and rash. A dear coworker's ears heard my outburst, and she instantly told me to go pray. I am grateful her ears were the only listeners. Her accountability and willingness to love me despite my sin are true treasures. Not all friends are as forgiving. I share this story to demonstrate the juxtaposition of my words, used to destroy, and my friend's words used to build up. Also, I hope to remind you of the power of your words and the necessity to continually seek to speak life. How great the responsibility of our words and how wonderful the opportunity to encourage.
I witness the effect of words daily when I teach. Students physically respond to negative and positive words. Often, telling a student, "No, that's wrong" or "stop it!" causes them to sink in their seats and become closed off. Offering an "I love your enthusiasm, wait until you raise your hand," or "Great job!" causes them to stand a little straighter and hold their head higher. Let us remember James' warning of wisdom and use our words for good, to build up the lives of others.
All my love,
Gennavieve

Comments

  1. JoannaTuesday, March 01, 2016

    Your humility is refreshing and your vulnerability is beautiful to behold. God bless you. You are loved.

    ReplyDelete

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