Tuesday, October 1, 2013
You May Never Know
Every day we engage with people who, just like us, are constructed with feelings, emotions, and reason. When I think about interactions I have with people, and about interactions I observe between others, I am struck by the intricacies of how we are made and how these areas interact in us and between us. Scriptures offer us direction in these interactions.
In Ephesians 5:19 Paul tells us how to build each other up:
Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
This echoes what is said in Proverbs 12:18 which says:
There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
In these two scriptures we see that we are not only told to build others up, clearly we see that this is done at least by what we say. I want to come back to this Proverb, but here is another one that is similar, Proverbs 15:2 which reads:
The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.
In these two Proverbs we see both an example of the good use of our words and mouth for encouragement, and also a warning that we can just as easily discourage with our words and mouth. There are many examples of this in scripture. Sometimes I think we want to do the good part of this and not the bad, but feel like we are just not spiritual enough or just don’t know how. Let me offer a couple practical examples.
Last night I was at a potluck and prayer meeting. Someone told me that they read this blog everyday as a part of their spiritual meditations with God. That was amazingly encouraging to me. It was a very simple statement, but very uplifting. In the four years I have attended the church where I go, this is one of four or five points of encouragement that I can remember. It felt good, to be honest. This is what we are to be doing, according to Paul.
On the other hand, I have a friend to whom God has given many Christian songs as a result of praying daily at the church for his congregation. Another member of the congregation joined him to write the music. Sadly, his church leadership has singled out in a very discouraging way him and the songs God gave him by instructing those that lead worship that they could play any song (including non-religious rock songs) but his. Sad really. Very sad. This would be an example of discouragement, which is likely not what was meant but is the result.
Let’s pray for one another, and especially for leaders, that we all realize that we can make a big difference in people’s lives, for good or bad, in what we say. Let’s join together for the good, shall we?
Prayer
Father in heaven, we exalt You. Thank You for encouraging us daily. Thank You for those that encourage us. Please show us ways we can encourage others. Please show us whom we might bless today with a word of encouragement. Please help us and those that lead us to not say things to discourage Your children, for we know this displeases You. We love You. In Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) name. Amen.