"Let no foul or polluting language, nor
evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk
(ever) come out of your mouth, but only such
(speech) as is good and beneficial to the spiritual
progress of others, as is fitting to the need
and the occasion, that it may be a blessing
and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear
it." Ephesians 4:29, Amplified
Someone
has once said, "Be kind to everyone for everyone
is going through some kind of battle." This
is so true because we all are going through various
battles in life. If we are not in a present battle,
we are either entering one or coming out of one.
The days are getting more difficult in the world,
and we must do everything we can to support and
encouragement one another along the way. We read
in Hebrews 10:25, "but let us encourage one
another - and all the more as you see the Day
approaching." A positive word of encouragement
can make a huge difference. This is especially
true on the mission field where the struggles
can be very great. There have been times of difficulty
on the mission field when a simple word of encouragement
changed my whole perspective on my situation.
We
all know how deeply we long for others to encourage
us. But let us be the ones to lift the burdens
of another through a simple word of encouragement.
The word "encourage" in Webster's Dictionary
means to give or increase confidence of success;
to inspire with courage, spirit, or strength of
mind, to embolden, to incite, to inspirit". We
need to represent Jesus Christ to others by increasing
the confidence and courage in them to do great
things for God. Just as He is our refuge and our
tower of strength, we need to be a safe and encouraging
place for others.
In
looking at the whole need of encouragement on
the mission field, we first need to realize the
power there is in the tongue. Proverbs 18:21
says, "Life and death are in the power of the
tongue." We all have problems with the tongue.
We often are not tongue conscious, and instead
of inspiring others with courage, we may bring
great discourage with our words. It takes a baby
2 years to learn to talk and 60 years to learn
to keep his mouth shut! If you filled a library
with a lifetime of your words, what would be the
titles of the books in it? Our tongues have potential
to build up or cause destruction. The Bible speaks
much about the tongue. The book of Proverbs speaks
of both the evil and good side of the tongue.
Tongue, lips, mouth and words appear 150 times
in Proverbs. James
3:1-12 speaks with greatest authority and
impact on the subject of the evil side of the
tongue. James compares the tongue with the rudder
on a ship. It has a powerful influence. A rudder
on a ship, though small, steers a ship to its
destiny. We lived on a ship for years, and I am
amazed at how that small rudder steered our ship
all over the world. James also speaks of the tongue
as like a fire's spark which can set a whole forest
on fire!
"Or
take ships as an example. Although they are
so large and are driven by strong winds, they
are steered by a very small rudder wherever
the pilot wants to go. Likewise the tongue is
a small part of the body, but it makes great
boasts. Consider what a great forest is set
on fire by a small spark" (James 3:4-5).
God
wants us to stimulate others to love and good
deeds. God wants us to use our tongue to edify
and build up, to encourage and set free. The purpose
of our life is to be a blessing to others. Most
people are afraid, especially now with the threat
of terrorism and the increase in natural disasters.
We live in a fallen world. Those who are serving
God in the nations know that the spiritual battle
is not easy. Instead of pulling one another down,
let us help each other to really live for Christ
in a greater way. We can do this in a number of
ways - wise counsel and advise, spiritual exhortation,
encouragement, comfort, etc. We need to learn
to tame our tongue, so that blessing can flow
to others freely and unhindered.
How
can we tame our tongue?
"A
word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings
of silver" (Proverbs 25:11)
I exhort you to make it a point to encourage
others through your speech this month. Whether
it is through a telephone call, writing a note
or e-mail, or through verbal words, make a conscious
effort to put courage into others. Consider and
give attention to how you will do this. It does
not come naturally for most of us. Some of you
may need a breakthrough in your life regarding
your future. Taming your tongue and using it to
bless and encourage others could open the way
for God to bring you to the next level in your
walk with Him and your future ministry. Study
how you will stir up and stimulate others to love
and good deeds. You may be surprised, because
often when we encourage others, we ourselves are
encouraged.
"And
let and give attention, continuous care to watching
over one another, studying how we may stir up
(stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds
and noble activities." Hebrews 10:25
Training
in World Missions
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