Today I was thinking back to my time spent in San Diego, specifically about some really funny memories and stories that I have collected. I thought about how all the staff members had a BLAST dressing up for the Staff Hunt, fun games with sticky hands, and other games concerning fruit salad! But the one that stuck out to me the most today was a game coined 'Copy!'. In this game whenever someone says something that could very easily be taken out of context and maybe even thought badly of, someone else in the room who hears can call out "Copy!" Then, whenever the 'copier' wants to, they can call out "Paste!" and the person whose comment was 'copied' then needs to repeat what their 'copied' statement was, no matter how ridiculous and no matter what the context! Think of copy and pasting like in a word document.......OK, sounds a little childish, but it is so much fun and gets some good laughs! It also makes you more aware of the things that you say.
We use words every single day; we express love, hatred, praise, complaints, everything through words. In one of my favorite movies, 'V for Vendetta', the main character describes words: "While the truncheon may be used in lieu of conversation, words will always retain their power. Words offer the means to meaning, and for those who will listen, the enunciation of truth." In short, words are POWERFUL. Whether we want to admit that or not, the words that come from our mouths are more powerful than we even think.
Our words have a drastic effect on the people around us in both positive and negative ways. King Solomon writes in Proverbs 16:27-28 about words used negatively:
"A scoundrel plots evil, and his speech is like a scorching fire. A perverse man stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends."
This really reminded me of how sarcastic I can be sometimes. Whenever I use sarcasm, I almost IMMEDIATELY regret it, because even if I am "just joking" there always seems to be a bit of truth to every sarcastic comment I make. Whether the comment is hurtful to someone or just reveals my real attitude in the situation, it always gives me and others a little window into what is really going on in my heart. I mean, its exactly like Jesus says in Luke 6:45, "The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." You can tell if you are filled with the Holy Spirit or walking in your own power and flesh by what the overflow of your heart is! Its as simple as that, friends! But, like everything, there is a flip-side...the positive to it all.
Like I said, words are stinkin' powerful! I can name a million times when I've used words to hurt others, put them down, try to pull the speck out of a brothers eye (and forgetting the log in mine), gossiping about others...I could go on and on about all the negative things I have used words for, but they can also be so influentially positive. Words of affirmation and encouragement are INCREDIBLY powerful in someone else's life. Speaking words of wisdom and truth from God's Word is an AMAZING encouragement to others along with our personal encouragements for them. King Solomon says in Proverbs 16:23-24:
"A wise man's heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction. Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones."
Mmmmmmmmmm...I won't spoil that one with my over abounding personal explanations. Let's just leave it at that...Amen!
Brothers and sisters, I pray that we could think of ourselves in a constant game of 'Copy!', always watching what we say. I pray that we could realize when we are walking in our own strength and pray to be filled with the Spirit. I pray that we can be careful of what we say to others. Even if we are "joking", I really want us to take an honest look to see what our words are revealing about the conditions of our hearts. We can choose what we are going to use our words for, let's choose to use them for the good of others and to the glory of God. Amen.
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
---Ephesians 4:29
No comments:
Post a Comment