A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

Do we ever stop and even realize how powerful our words are?  How amazing it is that we use words to communicate our feelings, our thoughts, our struggles, etc.  How cool is it that I can even use "words" to write this blog and after you read these words, you will understand how I feel and know me a little better.  Yet, do we REALLY stop and think about how we use our words?

Do they lift people up?  Do they encourage, empower, love, sympathize, provide hope, speak truth, feel safe, give strength, comfort, promote gentleness and kindness, add value to another?  Isn't that what the Word does for us?  It provides all these things when we need them.  We know that we can seek God's Word when we need encouragement. But what if we all were a walking, visual picture of God's word?  What if people could "see" the Word as well as "read" the Word?  What if we spoke as if the Word dwelled within us?  What would our community look like?  What would our homes look like?  What would our church look like?  

"What you say can preserve life or destroy it; so you must accept the consequences of your words. (Proverbs 18:21 GNT)

We have to remember that words either bring life or death-the power is in the tongue.  So how do we speak life?  The Word says "What you say flows from what is in your heart." (Luke 6:45 NLT). It is so important that we stay in the Word so that our hearts are transformed.  It's not just a personality, or an attitude, or an outlook-it's a heart issue.  Yes, for some people maybe this comes easier. But, we ALL can have transformed hearts if we stay connected to the Word.  Seek Him in everything we do so that we continue to be Christ-like. Love Him with ALL our heart and ALL our soul and ALL our strength and ALL our minds.  When we fill our souls with His Word, we will speak life from the overflow!  So now, I just have to remember this when I want to have an argument with my husband and prove that I'm right - it's not about right or wrong but how I use my words to make him feel. I have to remember this when I want to talk about something I shouldn't be talking about and realize I'm not adding value to this person.  I have to remember my words when I want to get impatient with someone who isn't doing something the way I think it should be done.  Lord, let me remember to use your words as you intended them-to bring life!  Let people "see" in me what your Word says!  Let me leave a legacy that remembers me as a painted canvas of Christ ~ His Masterpiece!!