I have been really working hard on my focus since seeing the movie - Letters to God concerning my thankfullness towards others as well as our heavenly father. Some of my posts on my facebook status has been - Dear Mr. God, I am thankful for the good things in my life and then explain 1 or 2 things. Its the beginning of putting my heart in the right place and then allowing God to move me through my day because before He has a chance to bless me... I am thankful for what comes next.
I have been building in me some things that I know will just come out at some point and with God knowing me as well as he does - knew that I needed a message like the one I heard last night. Yes I serve as a youth leader in front of many... I walk a tough road at times but its one that God has called me to and I am thankful for that calling. I think about sitting with the students sometimes and often think that I too am a student just like they are. Not on the emotional level or something like that but the spiritual level. My "Paul" last night brought a great message - a message that I needed to hear because I didn't have to say what he had on his heart to bring to the students. I think what that has done is it got the message to the students on the topic that was preached but also - I didn't have to say it and for some - they need to hear those tough words from someone other than me. It really has me thinking today on my words. It has me thinking about how we often times just run our mouths not knowing or sometimes even not caring how our words affect others. If you know me at all - I have a gift of encouragement. I know that.... I use that gift and its natural for me. I encourage even to the point sometimes where I probably shouldn't - I should move along but giving up is something that I struggle with because how do I walk away from someone or a student who just in the next moment may finally connect with God. Just maybe that light will show up and life change will happen. How do I know that 3 months down the road something horrible will happen to that person and they may be at a place where they need someone to reach out to them. I am learning - arms length encouragement and sometimes keeping quiet, though hard at times, is needed.
What sepreates a wise person from a foolish person is often not dramatic life choices, but word choices.
Words have a power all their own, don't they? I am sure that you know, like I do, that months of walking with someone can be all torn down in a quick 5 second sentence. Relational trust can be ruined in such a short time killing months, if not years, of trust building relationship. Some of the most hurtful things come from words and from my experience, they are usually things that should have been left unsaid. How much heartache could be spared by keeping our mouths shut and leaving those words in the category of the unsaid? How often are our tongues the tool for the enemy? Far too often......
Proverbs 17:28
"Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise; when he closes his lips, he's deemed intelligent."
Even a person with ZERO wisdom will look wise if they keep quiet. I look on facebook and the friends that I have and I read students bashing teachers, being mean to each other, name calling, people just complaining about everything! This student got the Word last night and left with such a heartful of heaviness.
Our tongues guide us like a ships rudder, a horse's bit or a spark from a match leading to a wildfire. Once they are started - you can't pull them back in. Once those words leave your mouth - there is nothing you can do to get those words back.
James 3:3-10
1Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.
3When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. 4Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
7All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, 8but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.
9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
So today, are you using your words to build or to tear down? Encouraging is so much sweeter... you are a master of your unspoken words and a slave to ones that are said.
Be an encourager today it may just have a huge impact in someones life.
Peace and love,
Lon~