The moment we recognize where all our blessings come from, we feel grateful and humble, right? I cannot name one single thing in the universe that I personally created. Any thought or talent I may have comes from my creator, not from me. So what gives me the right to feel superior to anyone or anything? We are all created equal in the sight of God.
Our pastor, Jody Flowers, gave us the most amazing message in church this morning. And Jody was simply the messenger, since his message came straight from God. The Scripture verse he based his sermon on was Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Jody said that the Greek word for unwholesome translates as unfit for use or rotten.
To become more aware of our words, Jody challenged us to have a Fast of Negative Words for the next 14 days. As an avid student of personal development, I am well aware of the power of our words. Words and the way they are used carry a lot of weight whether spoken by ourselves or others. We know this because all of us can remember instances where someone's words hurt us deeply - may even have caused us major self-doubt.
Before I speak, I plan to ask myself the following questions: "Is what I am about to say helpful to others?" and "How can I say what I'm about to say to build this person up?" I don't have to be right nor do I have to always speak the truth - only if my words can be of service to the other person. It's never about what I need to say but rather about what they need to hear. Sometimes people need to hear that they need to improve in certain areas. I am obliged to tell them so in a manner that is helpful to them.
The final three things Jody told us to remember are to ask for the other person's input in the conversation so they know we care about them. Secondly, we are to compliment often - we all do better when we feel loved and esteemed by someone. And finally, we are to exhort sparingly. One thing I would like to add is that we should also use these principles when talking to ourselves. We can correct ourselves in a loving way too. I use affirmations everyday to feel empowered in my life.
In closing, I am reminded of a sentence I have often told my husband of 32 years, "When I need love the most is when I deserve it the least." Think about this and see if you think this same statement holds true for everyone. I am grateful and blessed by the words I heard and shared today. I pray that you are as well.
Have an abundant week.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
