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“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” ~ II Corinthians 13:11
I love what a concise writer Paul was.
Through the inspiration of God, he never wasted words. You can absolutely see what a wonderful gift of communication God placed in him, and clearly used throughout the New Testament.
This verse is no exception. In a few short words, Paul manages to both inspire and guide, gently encouraging people to live the way Christ wants them to.
We live in a world where words swirl all around us. Knowledge is booming in a way like never before, with so much intellectual content at our fingertips we couldn’t begin to learn it all. Every day, we are inundated with words – text messages, emails, billboards, restaurant menus, books, magazines, websites. And the list goes on. In all of this, words can seem to lose value and meaning, as is true with the often-used example of the fact that we both love pizza and love our family. Yet words still hold incredible power, and can encourage or crush someone, depending on how they are used.
The next time you talk to someone, think carefully about what it is you are saying to them. Are you encouraging? Inspiring? Helping them walk closer with the Lord? What is it your words are doing in their life?
It may seem that words are too small to have such big impact – they can be so easily tossed out, and seem to float away on the wind. But as we all know, words can stick with you for a long time, long after they have been spoken.
Use your words to bring peace, comfort, restoration and love.