Words Have Power

Ready

“Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” – James 3:9-10, NLT

Set

As a professional athlete reflecting on the last 20+ years in sports, numerous people have said things to me that have stuck, both good and bad. The quiet, and not so quiet, words that helped mold me into who I am today. It is crazy to think that words said to me years ago still play a role into my development. The people and leaders you surround yourself with are the ones that shape who you are.

Being a pro, you can probably relate--do you remember your biggest “butt” chewing? Or a time your coach humiliated you in front of the whole team because you messed up? Or on the flip side, maybe you can remember a coach praising you in front of the team because of something you did? You can probably remember a few of each, which have helped shape who you are as a competitor.

The book of James is a practical book that emphasizes the pursuit of practicing holiness in your everyday life. He uses examples that are relatable, easy to understand and convicting in evaluating your daily thought processes. In James 3, we see how a BIG ship is turned by such a SMALL rudder during a storm. In this way, James likens the power of the tongue in correlation with our walk with Christ. Meaning, if we speak of love with Christ in mind, others will see His light and power through us. Locker rooms, practices, meetings, and games all seem to bring out some of the worst languages in us. We often let the pace of life and the game somehow take the filter off our tongues. James reminds us that it is pivotal in our personal growth and the growth of the Kingdom, to use words that are full of grace, encouragement, and life. Our mission as a disciple is to bring people closer to Jesus, and what better way to do so than to speak words over people that make them feel loved and cherished by God.

It is easy for life to speed up, but through my experience in locker rooms, one of the biggest ways to separate yourself is just in the choice of words you speak. It is easy to fall victim to the circumstances that surround us, but God calls you to be bold and light in a dark world - there is no reason you can’t start that today. In baseball, many of my teammates were a part of the Latino culture and they always came in with a big, warm welcome--every time they walked into the locker room, they would almost always acknowledge every person in the room and go up and give them a hug.

If you’re struggling with finding a way to share the Gospel, start with your word choice. Fill conversations with what you are grateful for, give words of encouragement and ask intentional questions to your teammates. Our words matter, especially if we’re following Christ.

So, what’s stopping you? Besides, you never know how much impact you could make on a person’s day or even life with a friendly word of encouragement. An “I’m proud of you,” or “You are loved, you have purpose,” can change the scope of someone’s life.

Go

• How can you encourage your teammates, peers or even your fans with the loving words of Christ?
• Challenge yourself today to go up to one person and say something encouraging to them.

Workout

Colossians 4:6; Proverbs 16:24

Overtime

“God, I ask that You open my eyes to people that need to hear Your words. Give me the words to say and an opportunity to speak into them. Jesus, let Your glory be seen in my actions and the words I speak. Thank You for trusting me with the opportunity to expand the Gospel. Today, I lean on You for my strength and my wisdom. Amen.”

Author Bio

Brewer Hicklen is a professional baseball player for the Kansas City Royals. He has been involved with FCA for 15 years and has always believed sports is one of the best ways to share the Gospel. His mission in life is to love God, love people and to have fun. Brewer spends most of the year on the road, but resides in Huntsville, Alabama with his wife, Reagan, and their dog, Bear, in the off-season.