Living in Increase (Part 10) - Increase in AwarenessSample

Be Aware of Words that Hurt

Several years ago, a young girl God had allowed me to mentor made a wrong decision. This decision caused her to hear a lot of hurtful words. Unfortunately, many of these things came from Christians. While there may have been a time when I would have gladly joined the conversation by sharing a photo, liking a comment, or offering my profound and spiritual opinion, all I could do now was imagine how much pain it would cause a young girl.

When the Pharisees brought the adulterous woman before Jesus, they wanted to test Him. Would He be obedient to the law and condemn this woman to be stoned to death? Instead, He said nothing to her. He spoke to the persecutors first and invited anyone without sin to cast the first stone. Once every Pharisee left, no one was left to condemn her. Jesus did not point out each of her sins. He did not lecture her on the evils of adultery. He did not discuss how her sin was eroding societal norms. Instead, He simply told her to go and leave her life of sin.

As Christians, we must be aware of our words and their power. We may think we're sharing a simple and harmless opinion or thought, but we must never assume we know why people make the decisions they do. There's a difference between judging an "outsider" (someone who doesn't know God) and judging an "insider" (someone who does know God). People who know God have the right to be rebuked and restored with truth and grace; people who don't know God don't know any better. They must first be introduced to the loving and powerful God the Father. As Romans 2:4 says, it is the kindness of God that leads people to repentance.

Instead of being known for what we are against, what would it look like if the world knew us for what we are for? Stand for love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control. Expose the enemy's work, but do so while still loving your neighbor. Your words have power; use them well.

Julie Austin

Action Step: Take a break from social media today to consider your motive for participating on the platform. Before you post anything, pray about your words and what you're sharing.