Is Somebody Gonna Write That Down?

Do you wanna know something? Your kids are listening to you. Even if you're, empty nesters, your kids have grown up, they still listen to you. Now they'll do one of two things. They either wanna put to memory that which you've said because they believe that they're hearing wisdom, or they're trying to figure out a way to, as quickly as they can, forget that because they know it reveals something in them or reveals something in you they don't want repeated in them. You have the power to influence generation after generation after generation, and you will be remembered for what you said. [00:33:16] (39 seconds)  #KidsAreListening

Can I tell you this? Kindness, compassion, grace, forgiveness, goodness, it doesn't matter when all is well. Everybody can be kind compassionate and graceful and good when all is going well. It is when things are going terribly. It is when you face opposition. It is when there is evil all around you. It is when people are pushing back on the goodness that god wants you to exercise in your life that your compassion and grace and goodness should come out. You should use your words to combat all that you see around you that disappoints you, that breaks your heart, that saddens you, that stirs up a righteous anger in you. [00:35:08] (44 seconds)  #KindnessWhenItCounts

Your good works, we talk about doing good works, and we think of that as feeding somebody or helping somebody financially or doing a kind thing. Those are all good works. But right here, it says that your words are works. Some of the greatest work you'll do in somebody's life is building them up when they feel demoralized. They feel defeated. They feel discouraged. You will the greatest work, the most Christlike work you'll do is bring hope to their life through the words that you speak. [00:17:34] (34 seconds)  #WordsAreGoodWorks

Jesus never be meaned or belittled or or or or dehumanized anyone with his words. He went after the religious because of their abuse of people, but the abused, he never went after. He always spoke grace even to the most sinful people. Unless, of course, they were the self righteous, those who thought they represented god, those who smugly and arrogantly condemned those around them, Jesus came and took their side. Jesus stood in the gap and spoke life to the hurting, spoke healing to the hurting. [00:35:52] (44 seconds)  #SpeakGraceNotJudgment

We hero worship somebody that doesn't represent the the the moral code of Christianity or we say something about a group of people that's mean spirited or hateful or condemning in the face of the fact that Jesus says, didn't come to condemn the world but to save the world. And so our words are sometimes all people have. Proverbs fifteen two says, knowledge flows like spring water from the wise. Fools are leaky faucets dripping nonsense. You know what that says? Wise people say wise things. Stupid people say stupid things. Your words tell people who you are. [00:22:34] (52 seconds)  #WordsRevealYou

The consequence of hurting others or the consequence of bringing death or life to others, if you speak, your words have the power to literally create life or literally create death. Death of relationship or life in relationship. Death in the future or life in the future. Death in somebody's self esteem or life in somebody's self esteem, in somebody's mental health, your own mental health. When you speak life or death happens, I would say that that is powerful. We don't think of how we imprint on people and that people carry with them what we say. [00:16:14] (42 seconds)  #SpeakLifeNotDeath

Say things that are kind and pleasant and attractive when somebody questions you, no matter how aggressively they do, no matter how accusatory they do, no matter how demeaning they do, whatever somebody says, whether it's positive or negative, you should be ready to answer in such a way that you use your words to reflect on Christ in a way that makes Christ attractive to them. You are. You are, through your words, what make Jesus attractive to others. [00:19:21] (29 seconds)  #ReflectChristInWords

There might be some things you need to use your words to ask for forgiveness, hurtful things, things you're hoping you've already been forgiven of, things you've said to somebody that you hope they've been forgotten. I read a quote that said words can only be forgiven but not forgotten. And I think there's a truth to that. If what you said impacted somebody, wounded them, cut them, it was careless, it was thoughtless, it may not have meant much to you, but it marked them. You should give them the opportunity to release you in forgiveness. [00:38:14] (38 seconds)  #ForgivenNotForgotten