Lets play a little game. I say a word and you think of the first thing that comes to your mind. Ready...Ok...
Love.
Peace.
Joy.
Hate.
Anguish.
With each of those words, you probably felt something. Maybe a distant memory came to the forefront. Maybe a recent incident was rehashed. Maybe you felt warmth. Maybe you felt pain. Maybe you got a mental picture.
Words make you feel, good or bad. They have the ability to make you who you are. Words can define you. They can cut you down or raise you up. Words speak truth and words tell lies.
Have you ever had someone tell you your outfit looks great? Wow, I love your necklace! Or my personal favorite, Have you lost weight? These are all things that make us feel good. Lifts our spirit. Puts a spring in our step. Then we feel more inclined to pay it forward. Give someone else a compliment. Words are encouraging. Words are powerful.
Words can be harmful. They can cut us deep. A simple statement can rip us to the core. I have recently felt this, like I had been punched in the stomach, the wind knocked out of me. Words can hurt. Some blurt out of hate, some blurt out of anxiety. Some just don't get "it" at all. Words can stay with us a life time. We can hang on to the words someone said and the feelings linger. Words can change us.
What we do with our words are what is important. We should speak truth out of love, and compassion. The old saying,"what would Jesus Do" comes to mind. How would he react to a situation, to hurt feelings, or miscommunication? Life is too short and too precious to leave with words unspoken. Listen to the tug in our heart to speak words. The Holy Spirit prompts us to speak. There is already too much negative in the world, why add to it. Speak life.
This little blog is a way for my words to be heard, and be used. I started this to bring words of encouragement to others. I want God to use this blog as His voice. I want Joy to come from my words. I want moms everywhere to know the Joy that God has given us.
Lord, I pray that my words are love. I want to speak life. Lord, help me speak truth. Help me obey your tugging on my heart to speak to someone. Help me obey your still, small voice. Allow me to be your instrument and flow from my lips. I pray that whoever reads this, that their words will be used in love, truth and grace. I pray that we not only become your hands and feet, but also your voice for the voiceless. I praise you with my words. I praise you with all my voice can muster. Thank you Jesus, for giving us the ability to love with words.
Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he began to speak, praising God.
(Referring to John the Baptist) Luke 1:64
The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
Proverbs 15:4
Listen to my Four year olds favorite song. We should all keep this in our hearts. Speak words of Love.
Words, By Hawk Nelson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA
I agree Katie. Nice words are remembered but negative words do hurt and can be felt for a long time. It can change the way you feel about someone. I had a someone say things to me I didn't like. It changed my feelings about them. It was then put on my heart to go and make things right. My fault or not. I'm glad I did .I would rather have say I was wrong and keep the friendship. It is a much better feeling working through it, than to be judging them, which I have no business doing anyways. Thanks Katie for all of your post!
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