Tag: words

Speak with Intention

On By vickleaIn Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

We reach more people today with our words than I think has ever happened in history. We write things online (like blogs), answer comments on Facebook or other social media sites and some even do videos or podcasts. Every word we speak needs to be intentionally kind and helpful. If the purpose of what we are saying is to tear someone down then we are not being a good representative of Christ. Can you imagine Christ speaking on a podcast and assassinating someone’s character for an hour, then ending with “God bless you.” We may not always be aware of who may read or hear our words, but we need to take into consideration that a lost world is listening and reading and also judging whether we are living up to the standard that we say we believe in. I think, actually I know from personal experience, that when someone says something unkind to me, I remember it a lot longer than the kind words that were spoken. I don’t know why that is, but I do know that if I intentionally purpose to say kind things to others, then they won’t have unkind words from me to ponder on and remember, hurting them for who knows how long after I have forgotten what I said. Be the one who lifts up, the one who helps others make it through a hard day, the one who puts a smile on someone’s face. The only people whom I can remember Jesus berating in the Bible are the Pharisees; everyone else, every single sinner, He was kind to, taking the time to say exactly the words they needed to hear. (The Pharisees needed to hear what He was saying, too, because He was trying to get them to understand God’s love and not just His law.) So, I pray that as you go through the day, you will make it a goal to speak with the intention of being a good representative of Christ, both in your spoken and written words. Speak what is truthful in love, speak what is kind, speak what is helpful. You will feel better at the end of the day, and so will your audience.

Words That Build

Have you ever been a representative for someone or something? When you belong to a group of people, or you represent someone, what you say and how you say it matters. Anything you say is a reflection of the person or thing you’re representing.

As Christians, we are representatives for Jesus. Paul says that we are ambassadors or representatives of Christ because He is no longer physically on earth ministering to people (2 Corinthians 5:20). Instead Jesus is working through His people to accomplish what He wants done on earth.

Since everything we say and do is a representation of Jesus, we need to choose our words wisely. When we use words to gossip and slander, hurt or damage—we don’t represent Jesus’ heart and character. But when our words are used to encourage someone, what we say has a lot of potential for good. 

You’re probably familiar with the power words can have. Has someone ever said something to you that was painful? Or can you remember the last time someone complimented you? You might still remember how each of those situations made you feel.

You might not have been able to control what was said to you, but you can control what you say to others. So take a few moments to think about the things you’ve said recently. Is there anything you’ve said that you need to seek forgiveness for? Choose today to represent Christ and His character by intentionally speaking words that are good and helpful.

Living for Christ

On By vickleaIn Scripture1 Comment

I have heard this short phrase most of my Christian life (over five decades), but it has only become more real to me recently as I have pondered what it really means to live for Christ. Does it mean that I cease to exist and that all that matters to me is no longer important? God is slowly revealing to me that He wants all of me dedicated to Him but He does not want me to be a Christ-figure. He wants me to be walking around, doing what I do and be Christlike in my attitude, words and choices. Christ died for me, so the least that I can do is live for Him.

In other words, I should not be making choices to gain something for me, but to expand the Kingdom of God. My own happiness matters to God so I need to let go of trying to make myself happy and start trying to do and say what would please the Lord and lead others to Him so that they can find true fulfillment in a relationship with Him. It’s frustrating being around people who don’t serve or worship God. Imagine how difficult it must be for God, our Creator, to constantly deal with people who refuse to acknowledge Him in spite of all of His blessings to them! I don’t lose anything by serving and living for Christ, but I lose everything if I just choose to live for myself.

I don’t know if I want length added to my years or not unless it is for God’s benefit. I just want to do what pleases Him and to stay here on earth for as long as he wants me to. Sometimes, I get weary…bone-weary, spiritually exhausted. Then God tells me to get up and keep going because He isn’t finished with me yet. If I am living for Christ, I need to be willing to keep on keeping on until God tells me that my race is done.

This is a prayer I say often and not just as a thing to say to appease God. I say it because I truly want to please the Lord. He is all to me, my reason for being, so I want my life to reflect His. My prayer for you is that you will grasp hold of the concept of living for Christ and know that it means turning over your words and your heart to Him completely. He is worthy and capable of giving you the words to speak and a changed heart to show others.

May your day be filled with the wisdom that comes only from the Father, the joy and comfort from the Holy Spirit and the compassion and love of the Son.

Words Matter

On By vickleaIn Scripture6 Comments

Have you ever thought of how many words you say every day? Ponder that. Then, think about how many of them are kind words, words that build up and encourage.

Encouragement should be as much a part of our being as Christians as reading God’s Word for the encouragement that we get from that. Consider that many do not read His Word (although we are in absolute agreement that they should), and the only encouragement that some may get is from what may come out of your mouth. The clerk is slow and you’re in a hurry. Be gracious anyway. The traffic is backed up and you feel like you’re going to explode with anger. The passengers in your car need to hear gracious words instead. In whatever situation we find ourselves, we can choose to use grace in our words. Give love with your words, not judgment and condemnation. It’s your opportunity that God has given you to represent how He would respond to frustrations and challenges. Just be kind. I saw a sign that had a familiar saying on it, “In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” You don’t have to accept sin. I am not saying that by any means. But no matter what is happening in someone’s life, you can make a difference with a kind word, just noticing that the other person needs your encouragement just as much as you need to take in the manna from God’s Word daily.

May your day be filled with the opportunity to reach out to others with kind words, offering needed encouragement and a picture of what kindness looks like.

A Word about Words

On By vickleaIn Quotation and Citations, Scripture9 Comments

Communication consists of putting words together into thoughts and then speaking them to others. Over and over again, we are warning in the Bible to be careful what we say with our mouths because we are either speaking death or life. I try to be aware of what I am saying and to whom I am saying it, but oftentimes, my emotions get ahead of my tongue and it just follows along that path of spewing what I’m feeling instead of thinking before I speak.

I don’t mean to or want to crush another person’s spirit, but I have seen it happen. I watch the person’s face change from happy delight to see me to overwhelming disappointment that they did. I must say that once I notice, I apologize, but wouldn’t it have been better to think first? I’m getting better at this skill, but I have not perfected it yet.

Maybe one of the reasons people walk around just looking down or with such sour faces is because of all of the ungracious words that have been spoken into their lives all day. I was very aware of what I said to my students when I was teaching because I wanted to point out that what they had done was a poor choice but that did not make them a bad person. In today’s world, we think nothing of going online and attacking someone’s character, whether we know them personally or not or whether they truly deserve the attack or not. Since I have not reached a state of perfection yet and God has not made me a judge over anyone except myself, it is much better for me to pray for a person who is in error than for me to take on the duty of pointing out how wrong they are about something, attacking their character because it doesn’t suit me. No one is served when the attack of words begins. The person you attack begins to avoid you and you lose a possible friend and you lose the witness to the Lord that you are supposed to be at all times.

I have seen this on line, many years ago and reminded my students of it when they were talking to each other. High school students especially seem to think that they become a bigger person if they can tear another person down. What I told them is that cutting people up with your words is not building yourself up but rather tearing yourself down in the eyes of others who watch what you do and say and lose trust in you. We would do well to follow this acronym when posting online.

I always enjoyed Audrey Hepburn movies and I had no idea that she had such wisdom as this quotation demonstrates. She was considered a beautiful and poised woman. Perhaps this motto was a real part of her life and that is why she was so lovely.

Anyone can make one of these graphics by using a site called Wordle. I happened to find this one online and each time I looked at it, a different word stood out. What strikes you as an outstanding word here? Words mean something, on paper and out loud. We have to remember that. We can take back words and apologize for them, but we cannot heal broken or damaged hearts. That takes a loving God and a person ready to forgive.

May each of us be more aware this day of the effects of our words on others and speak words of life and love into the needy world. Have a blessed day!

Meditation for Today

On By vickleaIn ScriptureLeave a comment

Have you ever had a really good friend who knows everything about you and still loves you in spite of it? This was my meditation this morning and I am blessed by how well God knows me and still loves me. He even knows my thoughts and my words before I speak them. Even when I speak from anger instead of love, God knows and loves. That is a sacrificial love that chooses to love in spite of who I am and not because of who I am. It’s WHOSE I am that really matters to Him! The really good news is that He loves each of us the same way, with the same fervor and the same knowledge. How can we do any less than seek to know Him better each day and to be pleasing to Him in our thoughts and words?

Have a blessed day and enjoy your fellowship with the Lord today!

Words Matter

On By vickleaIn Uncategorized4 Comments

I was always told as a child to be careful what I said because it might come back to bite me. Then, when I was an adult and became a Christian, I was told to be careful what I say because the tongue is the most unruly member of the body and hard to tame. Today, once again, I read about words, in both of my devotionals. In one, the author condensed the Bible to 50 words, as follows:

God made, Adam bit, Noah arked, Abraham split. Joseph ruled, Jacob fooled. Bush talked, Moses balked. Pharaoh plagued, people walked, sea divided, tablets guided. Promise landed, Saul freaked, David peeked, prophets warned, Jesus born. God walked, love talked, anger crucified, hope died. Love rose, spirit flamed, Word spread, God remained.”

Excerpt From: Guideposts. “Daily Guideposts 2020.” HarperCollinsChristianPublishing, 2019-08-26. Apple Books

Then, I read my other devotional from and my Bible and these are the verses that spoke to my heart:

I noted that the purpose of my tongue is to help out those who are weary. God wakes me up so that I can listen to Him and then tell others what I have learned so that they may also be encouraged to serve Him.

It is through the wisdom that God gives us that we know how to speak to others. Some may need a strong rebuke, others a gentle word of love. Whatever they need will be on the tips of our tongues if we remember to start the day learning from God. We have to also remember to speak wisely, with God’s grace and not our own judgment.

Finally, I leave you with this prayer. It is my prayer for our world today and I hope that you will join me in it. Nothing happens that God is not aware of and has ultimate authority over, so let’s join together in blessing His Name. Hard times? Yes. First a pestilence and then riots. But God is still in His throne and we need to acknowledge that, hear His voice and go out to bless others.

Through All of It by Colton Dixon