Prior to reading this blog please take the time to read James 3...
My brother delivered an unbelievable, convicting and sobering sermon today. As of today (Sunday, May 27th) he has started a new series entitled "Tongue Pierced?"...addressing the power of our words...and how are your words submitted to the reality of Christ...all the negative, reality, positive and inbetween.
Anywho...one scripture out of the many he used hit me like a brick wall...Proverbs 18:21, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Life AND death? We'll EAT the fruit of the words we speak out?
If I possess the power to speak life or death into people....wow...what am I saying? What am I confessing over others? Over myself? It was convicting on a personal level because how many times, just today, have i said..."Brooke you need to lose weight," "Brooke you are ridiculous," "Brooke you are to much." Are these words binding me to a fate I didn't realize? What do I say over other people? I know I try my absolute hardest to remain positive and encouraging with others...but I know I have moments. I know there are moments I can harpoon someone without even thinking? The guy who cuts me off? The lady that almost runs me over in the grocery store. The teen that is resistant and disrespectful. How about what we confess over ourselves or others in the moments we feel rejected, unwanted, used up, no longer valued, lonely or confused.
Again, I have literally heard this scripture a million times...but it hit me differently today.
Why today?
I wasn't really sure....then I started to think (I know...SURPRISING) I have noticed a huge change in my words and heart attitude over the last few months (yay! points for me...lol...yeah right). One of the ways is that I have become much more focused on living more simple and quiet. I mean don't get me wrong...I will probably always be a social butterfly...with lots to talk about (travel, food, activities, the Bible, etc)..but my opinions...my judgments are less and less necessary....less and less spoken. I will probably always want to help others...but I understand my perspective might not always be welcomed...and really....I have come to accept that not everyone wants, values or cares what I have to say for the simply reason that I am judged or not acknowledged for mistakes in my past. And HONESTLY...that's okay. (Life lesson...only the humbled and broken accept the hand that reaches out to help...it's the prideful and dishonest that dismiss wisdom and find those that approve)
I am grateful for how I have changed...and some of that has been recently tested and exposed...but it doesn't mean I should look past the areas that are not submitted and unchallenged. I appreciate the sermon today...because i realize I no longer measure myself based on what I do good and thus subtracting from what I do wrong...I want to be completely whole, committed, transformed and pure. I also want more of God..and if that means I have to expose areas of myself that have yet to die OR might be to afraid to submit and try...well then...I want to do that...if I have to be willing to let go of any good enough or less then thing...the fear must bow...however, my responsibility is to still keep what I believe (my heart) in line with what comes out of my mouth (confession)...and then I have be willing to submit that maybe if what continues to come out of my mouth hasn't changed maybe that part of my heart needs to be changed.
If I'm spouting unbelief in an area of my life...maybe I don't believe...if I am judgmental about certain actions because I'm afraid of what it might mean about God... maybe I'm not ready to minister..and maybe if my heart remains closed to an areas of hope and depth because I don't understand them...maybe I'm limiting God? So the power of my words...if they are pushed through a grid not submitted, or at least washed heavily in the grace of God, what power am I using....life or death????
Dear Lord thank you for grace and mercy....because this little tongue needs a LOT of piercing. LOL
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