The TongueExemplo

The Tongue

by

Rocky Fleming

Day Five: The Gift of a Right Word Spoken

When it comes down to it, the most immediate gift of encouragement that we can give is through words.  This is not dismissing the importance of service and comfort that we bring with physical presence.  But words, whether they are written or spoken, drill deeply into our hearts.  Why is this?  I think it is because of the way we have been created.  

All of mankind was created in the image of God.  Scripture tells us in John 1 that in the beginning there was the WORD.  The WORD was with God and the WORD was GOD.  Then it says, “The WORD became flesh.”  Therefore, we see the WORD is Christ, and we see that we were created in His image.  So little wonder that we respond deeply to words, for we have been created to be affected by words, and especially His words.  

This works to our benefit as Christ’s disciples, for when we speak words of encouragement and minister to someone with healing words, they respond to these words as surely as those words ministered to us.  It is with these facts and perspective that we embrace our sacred responsibility to use our words to edify and strengthen the Church and to make disciples by our influence on our world around us.

With these facts today, and the previous four days of devotionals, I now ask you to prayerfully consider how important your words are.  I ask you to go before the Father and ask Him how He can empower your words with encouragement and direction that points people to Jesus.  I will say as a writer or encourager with the spoken word that I cannot fulfill my purpose and take advantage of opportunities given me to point people to Jesus if my own soul is not healthy.  

Therefore, I ask you to see how critical this condition is to your own life, your witness, and your purpose as God’s man.  Make it your main pursuit to keep your soul healthy with your walk with Christ.  Then allow that which is going on within you to be released to your world around you.  These words will be beautiful and welcome, for “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken” at the right time and in the right way.  The close proximity you have with Jesus will enable your words to be spoken in the right way and at the right time, for He will be directing those words.