Communicating at Work with the Fruit of the SpiritНамуна

God speaks to you with a tone of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. God is not standing over you screaming at you at the top of his lungs. Neither is God silent -- He is not ignoring you. God loves you, and longs for you to hear his voice!

You work with and for some wonderful, amazing, talented people. You also are a wonderful, amazing, talented person. When you send an email, or make a phone call, how can you speak with a tone of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, so that the person you are speaking to feels appreciated and special?

You might also work with or for a few difficult people from time to time. You can probably picture that person in your mind right now. How could your emails and conversations with a difficult person be marked by a tone of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control, so that they feel valued and encouraged?

Your words have tremendous power. They might be the most powerful thing you have. Use them wisely. Use them sparingly. With your words, you can bring hope into each email or conversation.

Writing emails or speaking to people with a tone marked by the fruit of the Spirit isn’t easy and may not come naturally to you, or to your coworkers. Over the next few days, let's unpack each of the words in Galatians 5:22-23 and be challenged to focus on one of them each day. If you have some Christian coworkers, consider brainstorming with them how your communication might be sweetened by the fruit of the Spirit.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that you speak to each one of us in a way that is consistent with your character. Thank you for the amazing people we work with and for. Help us to communicate wisely with a tone marked by the fruit of the Spirit in every email and every conversation. Amen.