Using words

Serving on the executive of a writers’ organization took time that might have otherwise been used for writing. When my term was finally over, I began praying about that freed-up time. What did God want me to do with it? One evening He gave me His answer. 

I knew it was God and not my own idea because up until then, I thought a blog was a silly rant by a frustrated teenager. However, God clearly impressed me that He wanted my spiritual journal to be published online, every day, for the world to read in blog format. I posted the first entry the next day, January 16, 2006, as an act of obedience.

For me, writing is an important way to express what God is teaching me. I remember it better, but also make myself accountable to obey it by sharing it with others. For others, writing may have different motivations. This morning’s devotional reading points me to John’s explanation of why he wrote the book of Revelation. While I am not in the same category as an author, we do have something in common; God also told him to write what he saw and send it out…

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet saying, “Write what you see in a book and send it to the seven churches, to Ephesus and to Smyrna and to Pergamum and to Thyatira and to Sardis and to Philadelphia and to Laodicea.” (Revelation 1:10–11)

Today’s devotional reading says that the same voice comes to all Christians. He asks, “Are there not those who would taste the joys of Heaven if we wrote them words of forgiveness and affection? Are there not others who would dry their tears if we would remind them of past joys…?”

This makes me think of occasions when I’ve written a letter and the response has been, “You are the only person who sends me mail” or “Your letter was a great encouragement to me.” 

With email, Twitter, Facebook, and texting, writing a personal letter to anyone is a rare thing. In fact, any form of personal communication happens less and less. A recent quote supposedly from Einstein says, “I fear the day that technology will surpass our human interaction. The world will have a generation of idiots.” 

The next frame shows a group of people sitting at a table. Each one has their head down texting on their cell phone.

Even though today’s devotional asks what are we doing with our pens and are we adding joy to the lives of others with our writing, any of our modern methods of communication could do the same thing. My Facebook posts could be a delight to others, not mere yak. My emails can be a blessing too, if I take time to think about what I’m typing.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29)

God told John to write what he saw in a book. He told me to write what He is teaching me in a blog. Today, He reminds me that when I write or say anything, it should be to lift up others and joyfully point them to the Author of life who also expressed Himself with words.

Out of the heart . . .

Last week I observed a young couple who came into a restaurant and sat near us. The girl was well-dressed and very pretty. Her companion was very much the opposite. I wondered at this pairing until the girl opened her mouth.

Scripture speaks often about how the heart is revealed by what comes out of our mouths. Many examples come to mind. A former pastor was a godly person. For him, using phrases from the Bible in ordinary speech was as natural as the twinkle in his eye and his overflowing good humor. Others speak with skepticism, or sarcasm, or enthusiasm, revealing their hearts.

This morning, I was doing a Bible study on gossip. Several verses pointed out that those who do this are often motivated by envy or fear. Their attitude comes out in words that cut down others in an attempt to appear better or above the other person. It made me think about my own words and the source of negativity that is too often there.

Words are small units, yet they have great power. Proverbs 18:21 even says that life and death are in the power of the tongue. Proverbs 15:4 says that a gentle tongue is a tree of life. Words can hurt; words can heal.

God gave nearly everyone the power of speech. For most of us, the tongue is an instrument of self-expression. We use it to say what we think. Yet this is not all that God intended. I’m created so I can talk, but that talk is not supposed to be totally me-centered.

Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ (John 7:38)

Today’s devotional reading points out what Jesus did not say. This verse is not that believers would realize and enjoy the blessing of God, but that all of God’s blessings would flow from Him through us to bless others. His purpose for my life is the opposite of what most think. Instead of becoming all that I can be (which seems noble), God promotes anti-self-realization. That is, I am to become less like me and more like Christ, never forgetting that one of Jesus’ main characteristics is self-expenditure.

Believing in Jesus is about personal gain in some ways. For instance, I gain forgiveness, peace with God, the life of Christ and with that eternal life. However, Jesus says that what I gain is not as important as what He pours through me. The devotional says, “It is not that God makes us beautifully rounded grapes, but that He squeezes the sweetness out of us. Spiritually, we cannot measure our life by success, but only by what God pours through us, and we cannot measure that at all.”

Mary of Bethany broke a box of precious ointment and poured it on Jesus’ head. The disciples said it was a waste, but Jesus commended her extravagant act of devotion. He said that wherever His gospel was preached this would also be spoken in a memorial of her. What she did gave Him joy. Not only that, her actions instruct believers for all time that we are not to be concerned about ourselves but be abandoned to Him. Just as He spilled out His life that the world might be saved, we are to spill out our lives for Him by obedience, by sacrificially loving others.

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Lord, those “rivers of living water” You give are not for my pleasure, but for the refreshing of others. I could be like the girl in the restaurant who made an effort to look good on the outside — but did not guard her heart. I could strive for my own satisfaction, even satisfaction in knowing You, but with little consideration for others. This is not Your plan. Instead, I’m to pour out what You give me so others are blessed and satisfied. Any self-focused talk, trivia, gossip, slander and so on will not bless others but makes me like a garden hose clogged with sand. I just block the flow. Yet even without the sand plugging the channel, it seems I give out but a mere trickle compared to what You have poured in. Am I willing to be a river? Only You can make that happen. Just keep me from blocking the flow.

To Live is Christ — taking care of business

A few years ago a woman started coming to our Bible study. She was a new Christian but an angry one. She took every opportunity to speak against the people that had wronged her. If not that, she broke each moment of silence to talk about herself.

Nevertheless, she sincerely wanted to grow and be a better person. One day when alone with her, the Holy Spirit put on my heart to suggest that she would not grow as long as her focus was on herself. A long silence. Then she said, “You are right.” She took that suggestion seriously. Her life began to change in remarkable way. She is now a joyful, happy person.

I need to remember my own advice. The last part of today’s devotional reading asks, “How much do you grow in the Lord when you have vindictive or spiteful thoughts?” This comes from the middle of this passage . . . 

Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing. (1 Peter 3:8–9)

My answer to that question? Not very much. Growth is not about filling my head with Bible knowledge. Some say that knowledge must go from my head to my heart. I say it has to go from knowing it to obeying it.

I can make excuses for getting upset with people. I’ve had some nasty things done to me. Anyone else would be angry and want to get even, or at least think unkind thoughts. Yet the Bible is clear. Vengeance and retaliation are God’s business. My business is to bless people.

Sometimes blessing others means telling them the truth in love, which motivated my suggestion to that new Christian. Sometimes blessing is keeping my mouth shut. Regardless of how it is expressed or shown to others, a blessing comes from a sympathetic and loving heart. It is tenderness coupled with humility. Whatever I say to others comes from “been there, done that” humility, besides a deep desire that they prosper, move forward and know Christ better.

Some people narrow the meaning of blessing. For them, it is feel-good situations and/or money. They like the Bible verses that promise a blessing to generous people, interpreting these to mean that God wants them rich. While money is not evil in itself, the love of it is the root of all kinds of evil (1 Timothy 6:10). So also is love of self, ease, power and control. Evil has many motivations and definitions.

Likewise, blessing has many descriptions, all opposite to the words that describe evil or sin. Stuff like retaliation, spite, pride, a contrary or harsh spirit, lack of affection, hardness of heart, name-calling, and selfishness cannot produce words or actions of blessing.

Not only that, things like this are a barricade. They stop the love of God from flowing to me and through me, and keep me from becoming more like Jesus. God wants every part of me clean and prepared to take care of the business He has given me. I cannot grow if I hang on to even a hint of stinky thinking.

Imparting grace

It takes very little to build up someone else. A few weeks ago I spotted someone sitting alone in a room full of people and went over for a chat. I asked her about her work and picked up on what she enjoyed about it. My husband says that person came alive with delight. How hard was that?

I’ve not done any surveys but would not be surprised if most people go days, even weeks, without hearing something that makes them feel good about themselves and their lives. In the past few months I’ve noticed that a kind word, or anything that says “I am thinking about you” brings a big smile to an otherwise gloomy face.

Today’s verse is the same one as yesterday, this time focusing on the last part. It says,

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. (Ephesians 4:29)

Grace is one of those words that most people understand its meaning, but are hard-pressed to write a definition. Some make an acrostic, “God’s riches at Christ’s expense,” or say that it means His goodness to us. I found a definition that sounds a bit technical for such a lovely word, but it enlightens me. Grace is God’s revelation of Christ to my heart, done in such a way that I am changed to be more like Him.

Whoa, does that add implications to Ephesians 4:29! God is saying that my mouth, my words, need to reveal Jesus, but not only reveal Him but do it in such a way that the person who hears is built up to become more like Him. This is a tall order.

The author of today’s reading says that when he was growing up, if he said to his mother something like, “Do you know what So-and-so did?” she would respond, “Is that necessary to know?”

That wise response highlights what part of this verse says about this way of speaking. If I am going to say gracious words, they will be words that are good for “necessary” edification. These words will fit the needs of that other person. Again, a tall order.

Being able to do this presupposes that I’m paying attention and actually recognize needs, even the deeper, unspoken needs. It also presupposes that I’m open and willing to meet those needs, particularly with what I say. This cannot be done unless my mouth is under the control of the Holy Spirit, because I haven’t a clue otherwise. Only God knows what is going on in the heart of someone else, and only God can give exactly the right words to built up that heart.

When my father died, people offered condolences that sometimes pinched rather than comforted. Most of the time, their words added to my grief. Then one morning at church, a young woman came running up to me in her typical zest for life and said, “I know that this is a sad occasion and I should be sad for you, but (and she literally bounced) I am so happy for your dad!”

Her words brought instant joy to my heart. What a perfect example of “necessary edification” and grace! My mind went from “poor me” to imagining my dad enjoying the delight of being with Jesus and living eternally with Him.

She cannot remember saying this to me. That is often true for someone who speaks Holy Spirit words. They come out spontaneously without planning or premeditation from a heart that is filled with Him.

From this and from His constant training in my life, I am learning that the secret of saying words that are necessary, edifying and impart grace to the hearers, is to simply focus on them in the conversation, and stay close to the Source in my heart.

Closing a Letter

Most of the time my correspondence is email, but occasionally I write a real letter. Both open with Dear . . . or Hi, or Hello and close with sincerely, or blessings, or love . . . , depending on who is getting the letter.

This morning I read 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, and while it is not quite at the end of this letter from Paul to the church at Thessalonica, it is a benediction.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

True to his calling and his style, Paul crams Christian teaching into every line of his letters to the churches, even when he signs them.

In this benediction, he mentions the love and grace of God that gives every believer eternal encouragement and hope. He conveys his love for them too, saying he desires comfort from God in their hearts, and that God would establish or strengthen their ability to speak and work for Him. In saying these things, he makes it clear that God is the source of all they need, both personally and in their ministry to others.

As for my endings, “sincerely” says I mean it, “blessings” is a vague desire for well-being from God and “love” tells my readers that I care. After reading this ending for Paul’s letters, I’m going to try and be more specific in the way I sign my mail. I don’t know what the recipients will think, but I think I can do better.