“Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” (Philippians 4:8 TPT)
Who are the people whose comments, encouragement, put-downs, or other speech still rings in your mind, heart, and spirit?
Did you have a grandparent whose loving words of encouragement kept you going in difficult times?
Did you have a parent who told you you’d never amount to anything?
Did you have a coach who encouraged you to try out for a new team or activity?
Did you have a teacher who bullied your self image into dust?
Words matter.
Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV) says, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones,” and Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” You probably remember a time when someone’s words of encouragement and hope led you to great things.
Those pleasant words go deep inside us, giving sweetness and health to our souls and building us up.
But, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21 ESV) and “...Whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” (Galatians 6:7 ESV). When we absorb negative and destructive words, they go into our souls, too. I’ve heard it said that someone asked a group of men in prison, “How many of you were told as a kid that you’d never amount to anything and you’d end up in prison?” Most of the men raised their hands.
When words and actions lead to pain and injury upon our souls, destructive words and actions follow.
I was thinking about how words mark us and how they must have marked her in the Biblical story of Esther. Esther’s circumstances weren’t great – she was an orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai. They lived not in Jerusalem or Judah, the home of their people the Jews, but in the Persian empire, run by pagans. Yet, Esther is described as obedient to Mordecai, as someone who has relationships with a community of people who will fast and pray with her, and as someone with a great deal of courage.
I don’t believe you get those qualities unless you have them poured into you. My hunch is that Mordecai and that Jewish community poured God’s Word into Esther. The words of encouragement and faith marked her in such a way that she could step out in faith and courage “for such a time as this.” In the end, her bravery saved their people.
How are you marked by others? And how are you marking others around you?
Word of God,
Thank you for the beauty and majesty you display every day in your creation. Thank you for the reality that each of us is fearfully and wonderfully made, marvelous because we are yours. Thank you for the wonderful parents, grandparents, teachers, coaches and others who have spoken words of encouragement, vision, and hope over us. We know that pleasant words that build up have helped to form us and we pray you would help our words build up others. Stop us when our words bring death and destruction to someone else and help us to remember that we reap what we sow. Show us how we can build into the “Esthers” of our day with encouraging and courage-building words and with the love and strength of community. Help us to be marked by your Word and to mark others only with that Word. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
“For You formed my inward parts;
You covered me in my mother’s womb.
I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Marvelous are Your works,
And that my soul knows very well.” (Psalm 139:13-14 NKJV)
(originally published April 19, 2022)