Catching Fire: The Power of Our WordsSample

Catching Fire: The Power of Our Words

DAY 9 OF 15

The apostle Paul is probably the most famous Christian of all time—and the one most responsible for the spread of the gospel in the known world at the time. Paul used his words in speaking and writing to introduce people to the message of Jesus and to continue to build up their faith even when challenged. Given his dependence on words and their use, that makes what he wrote in this passage from 1 Corinthians that much more powerful. Words in and of themselves just don’t matter if there isn’t love that backs them up. Paul could have easily just gotten by on his communication style, on his compelling speeches, and on the way he could deliver the truth.

But Paul knew the gift of speech wasn’t the point—that’s not the end game. The point is love. The point is the place it comes from. The point is: where are the words springing from? Paul was saying our words need to spring from love, and if they don’t, they don’t mean anything. So, what if instead of focusing so much on what we say, we focused on where those words come from? How can we foster love so our words reflect it?

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About this Plan

Catching Fire: The Power of Our Words

Words have the power to tear down, but also to build up; the power to give life, but also to take life; the power to make new ways in the world, or to reinforce the way things have always been. Words are complicated tools to which we all have access. The question is: How do we use them best? How do we harness their power and become agents of good with our words?

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