Was that sarcastic? Seems to be my catch phrase lately. I have accepted a challenge to not be sarcastic for an entire week. No sarcasm in my world is like... taking away the jelly from the peanut butter... was that sarcastic? The biggest problem I am finding is that, I don't even know when I am being sarcastic. How can I ever expect other people to get me, if I don't really understand my own words?
Lately I have been talking to the kids about the power of the word. God created the world with only words. "let there be light!" And it was light. He didn't have a magic wand, or even a special incantation, he just spoke it, and there it was. Makes you think about the things coming out of our mouths. With just a word Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and healed many. With only His words, he begged for our forgiveness, as He became sin while hanging on the cross for the rest of us, who could only hope to be as holy as He.
It is with words that build each other up, or tear each other down. Words leave the most damage to a mind, and yet they have the power to linger on someones hearts to get them through a rough childhood. One kind word could change someones outlook on life, and one sarcastic word, could do the same in a negative way.
But I think honestly, the most damage we do, is to ourselves. "I'm so dumb... I don't have any gifts... I'm ugly... I'm a monster..." The list goes on. If we say something enough, we believe it, and if we believe it strongly enough, we become it. If I walked around saying I was a terrible mother or wife, eventually, after talking everyone else into believing that, I would eventually become it. If I walked around talking about how life sucked, my perception would be off, and everything would seem to suck, until eventually no one would want to be around me, and the the bad things that just happen in life would seem worse, and I wouldn't have a grip on reality, and my life would suck...
BUT... If I talked about how great life is, or how I am walking in freedom, and I no longer needed to fear, or that I am surrounded in love, and I am radiating in love, and I give love freely, Oh the possibilities... Wouldn't life be amazing...
Who knows maybe that girl you just told was pretty, or that she had a great smile, just decided to give up in love, because she felt ugly, but now you have given her a glimmer of God's love. Or how about the power of speaking God's Word to people. If we walk around silent, how are we to ever save anyone? It is true some people don't want to hear what we have to say, but the right words, could save a life, or better yet, a soul.
Let's give more thought in to what we say to one another, and especially to our selves. If the world can be made with a word, think about what the right ones could do for our lives...
Now THAT is some great advise!!!! (Wait was that sarcastic?)
Lately I have been talking to the kids about the power of the word. God created the world with only words. "let there be light!" And it was light. He didn't have a magic wand, or even a special incantation, he just spoke it, and there it was. Makes you think about the things coming out of our mouths. With just a word Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, and healed many. With only His words, he begged for our forgiveness, as He became sin while hanging on the cross for the rest of us, who could only hope to be as holy as He.
It is with words that build each other up, or tear each other down. Words leave the most damage to a mind, and yet they have the power to linger on someones hearts to get them through a rough childhood. One kind word could change someones outlook on life, and one sarcastic word, could do the same in a negative way.
But I think honestly, the most damage we do, is to ourselves. "I'm so dumb... I don't have any gifts... I'm ugly... I'm a monster..." The list goes on. If we say something enough, we believe it, and if we believe it strongly enough, we become it. If I walked around saying I was a terrible mother or wife, eventually, after talking everyone else into believing that, I would eventually become it. If I walked around talking about how life sucked, my perception would be off, and everything would seem to suck, until eventually no one would want to be around me, and the the bad things that just happen in life would seem worse, and I wouldn't have a grip on reality, and my life would suck...
BUT... If I talked about how great life is, or how I am walking in freedom, and I no longer needed to fear, or that I am surrounded in love, and I am radiating in love, and I give love freely, Oh the possibilities... Wouldn't life be amazing...
Who knows maybe that girl you just told was pretty, or that she had a great smile, just decided to give up in love, because she felt ugly, but now you have given her a glimmer of God's love. Or how about the power of speaking God's Word to people. If we walk around silent, how are we to ever save anyone? It is true some people don't want to hear what we have to say, but the right words, could save a life, or better yet, a soul.
Let's give more thought in to what we say to one another, and especially to our selves. If the world can be made with a word, think about what the right ones could do for our lives...
Now THAT is some great advise!!!! (Wait was that sarcastic?)
Yes!!!!! I love this, Liz. :)
ReplyDeleteYou have no idea how much I needed to read this tonight. I have been feeling awful about how I've been talking to the boys recently and have been feeling convicted about this. The way you put it was so fluid, just meshed together all my thoughts into what I knew all along. I need to change my behavior and become more aware of the way I talk to people. Not just the boys but to John, family, everyone. I may not be sarcastic as much as I come off sounding condescending but I assure you, it's not my desire to hurt anyone. I just didn't really recognize so much until recently how my words can alter the outcome of someone else's perception in life. Thank you again. This is truly a word from God and you are annointed Lizzy :)
ReplyDelete!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing how your week goes! God has been working on me as well to change my words. Never easy. But necessary.