The Power of Words

A little something to help cool you off.

It's 101 degrees here today. Does the stifling heat cause harsh words and bad attitudes or have they been festering in our hearts and we use the heat as an excuse to let them out?

I am reminded today of an old hymn we often used to sing...

Angry Word

Angry words! O let them never
From the tongue unbridled slip;
May the heart's best impulse ever
Check them ere they soil the lip.

Love is much too pure and holy,
Friendship is too sacred far,
For a moment's reckless folly
Thus to desolate and mar.

Angry words are lightly spoken,
Bitt'rest tho'ts are rashly stirred,
Brightest links of life are broken
By a single angry word.

Love one another, thus saith the Savior;
Children, obey the Father's blest command;
Love one another, thus saith the Savior,
Children, obey the blest command.

Growth is painful. It's physically painful when we're young. It's emotionally painful when we're teenagers and it's spiritually painful when we're older. Our church is involved in an epic (and what I'm beginning to believe is a traditional) battle between what I will call the old and the young. Youth brings energy and passion for God. Age brings wisdom and knowledge and ...well...money. Trying to find a balance between these groups is extremely difficult for our church.

Angry words kill energy and passion. Angry words negate wisdom and intelligence. When angry words cause hurt feelings, small trifling matters become blown way out of proportion and can kill a church or a family or a marriage.

Change for the sake of change isn't necessarily a good thing. Resistance to change because we've always done it this way isn't necessarily a good thing. There has to be a middle ground and it has to be Christ centered.

How do we find this middle ground? I think we could start with kind words of encouragement. We could appreciate each other's opinions. I think we could really listen to one another. I think we should truly communicate. One "thank you" or "you're doing a great job" or "you are inspiring" can go a long way. Let's not be complacent and come to expect nurturing and care. If someone is working hard and trying their best, then they deserve our thanks not our criticism.

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

Please continue to pray for our church.