Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water." James 3:9-12 (TNIV)
Ouch! You felt it, did you not? I did.
Being a woman, I feel like I am an expert on the female psyche. I know how we think. I know how we operate. We feel we are protected under a covering we often use as a justification for wrong doing: personality traits. My personality trait(s) do not excuse me from being rude or hurtful to another person.
I am amazed at how women slaughter other women. Women can be vultures -- do they really kill and eat their own? I have seen it and yes, I have been involved in it. I have been the vulture and I have been dinner. At the end of the day, neither feel very good.
This is an area of my life I want to turn over to God completely. There are many women in the sphere of my influence. I have a husband, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents, friends and clients that I influence daily. I know that I influence them, but that is the inner sphere. What about the outer sphere? What about those who sit 17 rows behind me at church every Sunday. They may or may not know my name. Is it important how they see me? Yes, I believe it is. What about the store clerks, the bank tellers, my neighbors, people at the gym, and the list goes on? You truly never really know who is watching you and watching your life. What am I modeling for them? Are blessings flowing from my mouth? Do I live a life that encourages them? Do I teach them merely by my life?
My words -- YOUR words pack a powerful punch.
A word is dead when it is said, some say. I say it just begins to live that day.
Emily Dickinson
Discretion of speech is more than eloquence.
Francis Bacon
In my "sphere" I want to bless you, not blast you; I want to affirm you, not anger you; I want to uplift you, not uproot you. As I said, this is an area of my life that is under construction and my General Contractor is God. As the construction process begins I see where it is going -- I am getting a bigger "sphere".
My brother in law, Daniel, always closes his emails with "POINT TO PONDER" and then leaves me with something that really causes me to think. He read my blog yesterday "Up and Running". He sent me a message saying that while he is not a "blogger" he will read my blog. That, in itself, made my day. I love Daniel and I love that he is in my sphere. I am proud to be in Daniel's inner sphere. Daniel also wrote this to me: "Accountability is the way to go. If you say you are going to lose weight and you declare it to practically everyone, you will because your words "retrace" their way back to your heart where they originated. I can see you healthier already. Love and Prayers, Daniel".
Read it again. That is a power packing word: your words will retrace their way back to your heart where they originated.
Our words are so important and they do originate from the heart. What is in my heart? What is in your heart? Identify those in your sphere of influence. Bless them.
Have a blessed day.
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8 comments:
MATT.12: 36,37
"BUT I SAY UNTO YOU,THAT EVEY IDLE WORD THAT MEN SHALL SPEAK, THEY SHALL GIVE ACCOUNT OF THIS IN THE DAY OF JUDGEMENT.
FOR BY THEY WORDS THOU SHALT BE JUSTIFIED, AND BE THEY WORDS THOU SHALT BE CONDEMNED."
THIS ALONE SHOULD CAUSE US TO THINK BEFORE WE SPEAK....,BUT I DON'T ALWAYS DO THIS.
THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME THAT MY WORDS HAVE CONSEQUENCES JUST AS MY ACTIONS DO.
CANDI
Sorry, I messed up my last comment and deleted it!
Amen Candi!
Thanks for this today Mom. I really needed it. I love how you explained this and I can tell that it is totally from the Holy Spirit and what He is doing in and through you. All of those people you get your hands on to do their hair, they are blessed today! WOO!
And WOW! Uncle Daniel sounds like a preacher or something! :) :)
Your brother in law, while referring to our own words, also very eloquently expressed the very life giving power we have at our disposal- God's Word... every word originating from His mouth goes straight back to His heart, and because he is God, His words are all truth. When we speak His Words they cannot return to Him void, without accomplishing the tasks for which He has established them... I try to speak His word into every situation in my life, because they retrace their steps to the author of life. Love your bil's quote- I will rememebr it:-)
Here from Amanda's...Thanks for this reminder today!
My Bible teacher in school always taught us to EDIFY. I cant remember the reference right off hand but the verse says, "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of thy mouth, except what is used for edification"
So when he heard negativity or put downs he would remind us to EDIFY. I have never forgotten that lesson, I just wish I could practice it more often.
Bless you child. Smackin my face.
Love you
Marsha
Thanks, good words. Love your pic too.
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