Earlier this month I had an amazing conversation with one of my family members. During our conversation she shared a story with me about a woman that she used to work with:
“There was a girl I met and we were marching in a parade together on a Sunday. We had great conversation and she was a nice girl that seemed happy about life. I was off of work on Monday and Tuesday. When I arrived back at work on Wednesday I found out that the girl I had just met was dead. When I asked who killed her, I was informed that she had committed suicide. I was in total shock. Til this day, I still wonder if there was something that I could have said or done that might have saved her life. ‘You never know whose last stop you may be for someone so what you say and how you treat them is important.’”
After hearing this story it made me think about the numerous times I have went through what seemed like seasons of hell in private and masked it to the public so that no one would ever know. How many of you have ever felt like you've been through a storm in the dark, alone? Everyone who you knew thought everything was going well because of what they saw as your exterior and couldn't see internally.
“There was a girl I met and we were marching in a parade together on a Sunday. We had great conversation and she was a nice girl that seemed happy about life. I was off of work on Monday and Tuesday. When I arrived back at work on Wednesday I found out that the girl I had just met was dead. When I asked who killed her, I was informed that she had committed suicide. I was in total shock. Til this day, I still wonder if there was something that I could have said or done that might have saved her life. ‘You never know whose last stop you may be for someone so what you say and how you treat them is important.’”
After hearing this story it made me think about the numerous times I have went through what seemed like seasons of hell in private and masked it to the public so that no one would ever know. How many of you have ever felt like you've been through a storm in the dark, alone? Everyone who you knew thought everything was going well because of what they saw as your exterior and couldn't see internally.
“9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11 Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?” (James 3: 9-11 NIV)
The next time you are about to speak to an individual, bear in mind that out of the same mouth you praise God, you should not curse any man. Try to intentionally begin speaking inspirational words to people you encounter. You never know when a simple “hello” could bless someone tremendously or save their life.
In the same way that you must watch your tongue, you also must keep an eye out over your actions and the way that you treat people. Your actions are like a domino effect. Whatever you do in life ripples out to affect someone else and when you affect someone else, they have the ability to affect another person.
The next time you are about to speak to an individual, bear in mind that out of the same mouth you praise God, you should not curse any man. Try to intentionally begin speaking inspirational words to people you encounter. You never know when a simple “hello” could bless someone tremendously or save their life.
In the same way that you must watch your tongue, you also must keep an eye out over your actions and the way that you treat people. Your actions are like a domino effect. Whatever you do in life ripples out to affect someone else and when you affect someone else, they have the ability to affect another person.
We live in a world where often times, people do not stop to give homage to those who have helped them along the way. This frequently can leave a person who has made sacrifices to help an individual feeling somewhat bitter and remorseful. Without further ado, take a moment to call to remembrance what God has sacrificed for you. How often do you stop in your day to give thanks to God for what you have been blessed with? Do not ever let bitterness settle in to rob you of what God has for you now and in your future.
Just because someone may not acknowledge that you have helped along the way does not mean that they do not need to be helped. God demands that we cheerfully bless others without any expectations. This means that there is no need for you or anyone else to go stand at the top of a mountain shouting out what you have done for an individual because you need accolades for doing what you did. Do what you do for people through your actions because you recognize that you were called to be a blessing to people since in your life you have been blessed. Know that God sees your efforts, and for them, he will reward you openly and privately.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10 NIV).
Just because someone may not acknowledge that you have helped along the way does not mean that they do not need to be helped. God demands that we cheerfully bless others without any expectations. This means that there is no need for you or anyone else to go stand at the top of a mountain shouting out what you have done for an individual because you need accolades for doing what you did. Do what you do for people through your actions because you recognize that you were called to be a blessing to people since in your life you have been blessed. Know that God sees your efforts, and for them, he will reward you openly and privately.
“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10 NIV).
As we enter into our last month of the first quarter in 2015, I believe that God wants us to be more cautious of what we say to other people and how we treat them. You never know how fragile someone may be or where they are in their lives. What if you were someone’s last stop before they thought about making a bad decision? Your words, or actions toward that individual could be the determining factor that makes them or breaks them.
A while back, I remember someone saying to me “loose lips sink ships”. Its one of those old phrases that people used to say warning others to be mindful of what they loosely spoke about so that they didn’t end up letting the enemy intercept. Today when I think about that phrase, it reminds me of the importance in always guarding your lips so that you don’t end up allowing Satan to slip through the crevices. Words can have the ability to capsize opportunities for God to use an individual as a vessel. To me, the phrase “loose lips sink ships” emphasizes that you have to be careful not to drown your chances of being a blessing to someone in need because of what you might say.
A scripture in the bible states: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Proverbs 18:21 NIV).
This simply means that words are powerful. They have the ability to uplift an individual and in the same breathe cause total destruction. Whatever words you speak, you will reap and the bible warns people about how speaking destructively is not the right thing to do.
A while back, I remember someone saying to me “loose lips sink ships”. Its one of those old phrases that people used to say warning others to be mindful of what they loosely spoke about so that they didn’t end up letting the enemy intercept. Today when I think about that phrase, it reminds me of the importance in always guarding your lips so that you don’t end up allowing Satan to slip through the crevices. Words can have the ability to capsize opportunities for God to use an individual as a vessel. To me, the phrase “loose lips sink ships” emphasizes that you have to be careful not to drown your chances of being a blessing to someone in need because of what you might say.
A scripture in the bible states: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruits” (Proverbs 18:21 NIV).
This simply means that words are powerful. They have the ability to uplift an individual and in the same breathe cause total destruction. Whatever words you speak, you will reap and the bible warns people about how speaking destructively is not the right thing to do.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We love you more than anything. Thank you for being such an impeccable God. We are thankful for your mercies that endure forever. Each time our masquerades began to fade, you allowed your Holy Spirit to invade so that your light could shine through our dark storms. For that we give you Glory, Honor and the utmost highest praise. We come to you with your word from our lips asking that you help us to control our tongues and help us to be careful about what we say to others (Psalms 141:3 NCV). We pray for an intellectual mind that will allow us to relinquish all fleshly power so that we can think and act from a Spiritual realm when catering to others needs. In confidence and assurance through your word we pray this prayer, in Jesus name, Amen.
Heavenly Father,
We love you more than anything. Thank you for being such an impeccable God. We are thankful for your mercies that endure forever. Each time our masquerades began to fade, you allowed your Holy Spirit to invade so that your light could shine through our dark storms. For that we give you Glory, Honor and the utmost highest praise. We come to you with your word from our lips asking that you help us to control our tongues and help us to be careful about what we say to others (Psalms 141:3 NCV). We pray for an intellectual mind that will allow us to relinquish all fleshly power so that we can think and act from a Spiritual realm when catering to others needs. In confidence and assurance through your word we pray this prayer, in Jesus name, Amen.