Words Matter

I'll be the first to admit it, I'm not the most effective communicator in the world.  I'm a tad bit passive aggressive, the word "No" is rarely in my vocabulary (unless I'm talking to Caleb), and I really, really dislike confrontation.  I tend to skate around certain issues because they make me uncomfortable, and bottle up a lot of feelings until I explode... usually with Wallace as the victim. 

Bottling up is ok, as long as you eventually deal with it. Tonight we talked about forgiveness in Bible study, and several of the verses talked about things that we say.  The Bible speaks extensively about being angry and not letting your anger control you.  It also talks about how our emotions can control our tongues, which is the most lethal weapon we have.  Let's face it, people. Words hurt.

They can cut deep and leave you bleeding, wondering when you'll just be put out of your misery.  They can paralyze you and make you doubt why you even try.  They can take a good experience and make it... not good.

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. "- Ephesians 4:29, ESV

But just as words can hurt, words can heal.  We've been called to build each other up.  It's too easy to tear each other down. The flesh causes self-doubt and insecurity to cause us to become jealous and spiteful.  With God's Spirit, though, we can use our words and our tone to comfort, to bring peace and joy, to bring acceptance.  Through our words, we can make an eternal impression on those in which we come in contact.  A smile, some encouraging words, and a shoulder to cry on...

My prayer is that God will let me see His purpose in my life and for me to be able to fulfill it for His glory.  I think part of that is for me to be an encourager, for me to help others feel better about themselves and their situations. As an educator and a nurse, I've been blessed with opportunities to build others up.  It's a priviledge that I don't take lightly.  A lot of my students have a lot going on.  They have lives outside of class.  I'm thinking especially of my beginning students, making the transition to nursing classes from gen ed, many of them first generation college students with family and kids and work and responsibilites.  May I never get too busy to offer a kind word and a smile.  May my tone never convey interruption.  May I always remember that they are the reason I'm able to get up and go to a job in the morning.  May I be able to shake off getting up on the wrong side of the bed and put a smile on my face to be a positive influence in the lives of someone who may not otherwise have a positive influence.

“I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”- Maya Angelou...

May people always remember me with a smile on their face... Thank You, Lord, for a position to bless others.