Our Words

 

Words are important because they impact people’s minds, people’s attitudes, and people’s lives. Jesus says it’s not what goes into a person’s mouth and into their stomach that defiles a person. It is what comes out of a person’s mouth that originates in the heart that defiles a person.

 

Words make a powerful impact in others’ lives and their spirits.

 

James in James 3 gives three illustrations of the power of words.

 

James 3:3

If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well.

 

Bits control horses and guide them in the direction the rider wants to go. Words can control people and guide people’s lives.

 

Words can guide to truth.

Words can guide to lies.

 

Words can lead a person to a relationship with Jesus and salvation.

Words can lead a person to reject a relationship with Jesus and away from salvation.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is sharing words that lead others to the truth and to know Jesus and experience salvation.

 

James 3:4

Look at the ships also; though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs.

 

James is speaking of sailboats. The ships are big and they are driven by strong winds, but they are guided by a small instrument, the rudder.

 

Words can be used to direct people’s lives. They can overcome even large influences and strong emotions of our lives.

 

Our words can be used to guide others for good or bad. Words can encourage and positively influence or they can condemn and judge and negatively influence.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is using our words to encourage others to have faith in the one true God, Jesus.

 

James 3:5-6

So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course life, and set on fire by hell.

 

A fire can provide light and warmth or it can total destroy something. It all depends on the words and how they are spoken.

 

Words can bring comfort and healing or they can bring hurt and harm.

 

Raise the Roof and Remove the Walls is using words to heal, not hurt.

 

As people transformed by Jesus, we are to live and act differently from the rest of the world. James connects our living differently with the words we speak and especially words that we speak into other people’s lives.

 

Each of the illustrations James uses shows the great power that words have, a power that we must learn to use in God-honoring ways.

 

Colossians 4:5-6

Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

 

Our words are to be:

Flavorful – creating an appetite for Jesus

Preserving – continuing to speak truth no matter the reception

Healing – bring healing and spiritual health others

Gracious – speaking grace, not condemnation

Wise Reponses – answering other’s question with godly wisdom

 

With Godly Wise Words, Raising the Roof and Removing the Walls,

                                                  Joe