We Should All Be "Wordy"

I had a pleasant surprise Sunday night . . . a real treat. After preaching in revival service at a local church, Andrea, Bekah, and I decided to eat at our local Cracker Barrel. When we arrived, three pastor friends and their wives were already there and invited us to join them. Another pastor and his wife joined us and we blessed Cracker Barrel with our brand of “the joy of the Lord.”

The five of us, as well as several other pastors, have spent a considerable amount of time over the last several weeks praying together for each other and for our churches. Over the course of time, we have fostered a friendship that has enriched my life, and I hope the lives of the other guys as well. Tonight, our wives had the opportunity to enjoy the fellowship too. All I can say is, “oh, my, what a time!”

Our fellowship is a mutual encouragement to each other. Now, remember, we ARE guys, so there is a lot of silliness and good clean fun, but the camaraderie always lifts our spirits, like a B-12 shot for our soul. The conversations we have are therapeutic. Words are like that, we can use them to heal or to hurt. Thankfully in our group we use them to heal. Humor is used quite often – we laugh AT and WITH each other – because we truly are a funny bunch.

Consider the options all of us possess when it comes to our speech:

Pleasant words are a honeycomb: sweet to the taste and health to the body. – Proverbs 16:24

. . . but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men who are made in God's likeness. – James 3:8-9

The words we employ and how we choose to employ them either build up or tear down those at whom they are directed – and any others who hear them or read them in the process. Since our words are so sharp and effective, let me challenge you to wield words with caution.

Let me suggest two practices, one preventative, the other proactive, that will help you use your powers for good and not for evil. First, THINK before you speak. Using the word THINK as an acrostic, ask yourself the following questions before firing off that missive or hitting the SEND button:

Is what I am about to say True?
Is what I am about to say Helpful?
Is what I am about to say Important?
Is what I am about to say Necessary?
Is what I am about to say Kind?

Then, as a proactive step, let me encourage you to make a habit each day intentionally to give someone a verbal B-12 shot. Pick someone and send some positive words their way. Sweeten their taste and fortify their body with the honey of kind words.

What will it be . . . honey or poison? Build up or tear down? Bless or curse?

Thank you, my brothers, for the encouragement you give me. I wish every pastor had a crew like us. But then again, the world probably couldn’t stand it, could they?