For this weeks blog, I want to introduce to you the most important person in my life. She is the love of my life, my best friend, my closest confidant and my greatest encourager. I know that this may sound corny to say these things about my wife. Some of you guys are thinking that I wrote that to score some brownie points with my wife. If I do that is great. But I really wrote this because it is true. I know that you will be blessed and challenged by her message. So, let me introduce to you. my wife Jennifer.

My Family has always been one of sarcasm and the giving of hard times.  I’ve struggled over the last couple years with just how “Christian” it is to do this.  Here are some of the things I have come across in my search, if you will.  Please feel free to take them or leave them and find your own nuggets.

The Bible says we are to be imitators of Christ.  (Eph. 5:1-2  Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children.  Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us.)  So we should love those around us and sacrifice for them. 

Ephesians 4:29 (New Living Translation) says “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” (emphasis added)  Please note that our words are to be encouraging not only to those we are speaking to but also those we are speaking about.  Our words should ALWAYS build up and not tear down. 

Wow!!!  In today’s society what a hard thing to do.  Our very core is centered around tearing people down, getting ahead, climbing the ladder and making yourself look good at all costs.  We have television that “votes off” the team member who is not the smartest, prettiest, skinniest or most talented.  We bash people instead of taking them by the hand and offering them grace, hope, love and a safe haven.

Proverbs 26:18-19 says “Like a madman shooting firebrands or deadly arrows is a man who deceives his neighbor and says, ‘I was only joking!’”

If this is the case then should we not only speak words that encourage people - period?  Does this mean we really shouldn’t say something “in jest” because let’s be honest, how many of us have said something and meant it as a joke but it’s taken differently by the person the comment is directed toward?  And, who even knows how many times we’ve said something that hurt someone and we didn’t even know it.  How much heartache could we save if we only spoke positively about people?  How many misunderstandings could be avoided if we just spoke things to encourage people?

I leave you with one last verse to pursue and consider…

James 3:9-10      (NIV)

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.

This entry was posted on Thursday, July 31st, 2008 at 7:44 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.