I. LIFE AND DEATH ARE IN THE POWER OF THE TONGUE.
Proverbs 18:21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Proverbs 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.
We usually meet fellow human beings other than family, almost every day. We rub shoulders with them on crowded elevators and in the highways and byways. We encounter God’s highest creation (man) on a continuing basis. Many folks scurry all around us running to and fro, their body language and their eyes convey a sense of hurry, distress and pressing anxieties. We make eye contact with many of them for only fleeting seconds. All of these transient souls obviously fashioned in the image of God and yet they may never cross paths with us again. We get that one shot, that one misty moment to make a difference in a hurting life that might be filled with desperation or sorrow. Many of us are like the character on the old T.V. series Chico and the Man. The late Freddie Prince played the wise cracking comic character that made audiences laugh with his reoccurring funny line “that’s not my job man!” Sadly many of us have adopted this same stand-offish indifferent attitude toward humanity.
II. A PERSONAL STORY WITH LIFE AND DEATH CONSEQUENCES.
Jail house ministry is a unique calling for a preacher. My wife and I hold weekly church services in the women’s dorm at the county jail. On average, we see anywhere from 10-18 ladies in a week. After prayer, and singing, I bring a message from the Word of God. After the message is complete, and a personal application made we have an invitation.
Many times, we have only one opportunity to present the gospel. A lady may be there for one service or over a year. The invitation and message must be compelling so that it might reveal their desperate need. The majority of the ladies in jail are there for drug and alcohol charges. One night, we had about 12 ladies present for church. I preached on the dangers of addiction and the broadway of destruction.
My wife was sitting at a back table with a few of the ladies. At the invitation, the lady next to my wife seemed quite indifferent to the whole service. She was 23 years old with two children. I still remember her haunting expression and the light brown hair and dark eyes. She refused to respond to the gospel message. After the invitation, my wife spoke with her about her spiritual condition. She bluntly told my wife that she enjoyed the wild life, and she was not about to give it up. The tract marks on her arm revealed her life style of addiction. About two weeks later, we read of her death in the obituaries. She had died from an overdose. Her refusal to hear the Word of God may have cost her, her immortal soul, as it certainly did her physical body.
III. HOW SWEET THE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT.
Men and women are dying all around us for lack of truth. They are drowning souls who need a life preserver and not a boat anchor. The wisest men who ever lived the God man, Jesus Christ, Solomon and the apostle Paul were careful and prudent with their opportunity to influence mortal men with their words. If we examine their magnificent live changing words, we stand in awe at their beauty and ability to transcend time. Jesus Christ uttered the loftiest and most encouraging words ever heard by men’s ears, consider his perfect address given in the Sermon on the Mount. The wisest man outside of Jesus Christ is Solomon his wisdom flows like honey from a rock, and his words are a marvel to behold. The chief apostle Paul confronted the Athenians on Mars Hill with dynamic, persuasive eloquence. Of course, all these men’s words are Holy Spirit breathed. These extraordinary men gave out life preservers fashioned in words and rescued drowning men.
IV. RIGHT THINKING COUPLED WITH ACTION.
Someone has said empty barrels make the loudest noise. We certainly do not need any more empty headed platitudes. Nor do we need any more speeches injected with seemly pious rhetoric. We need a personal passionate desire to see others made whole. That of course begins with proper thinking coupled with words, but those words must translate into action. We need a love that embraces the idea that mankind is worth the effort of the attempts at restoring them to a productive existence. We must also offer them life preservers of soothing encouraging words over flowing with genuine concern from the heart. After all, an internal broken fountain of mercy will not produce the lips of healing balm.
John 7:38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
John 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the 원샷홀덤 words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
John 12:48 He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.
V. THE CHALLENGE.
As we interact with others in personal circumstances, let us be determined to remove every negative obstacle that keeps us from encouraging the down cast. We can never be sure what a difference a kind word may make. Just as, a disillusioned man may want to see a light at the end of his tunnel, let each of us not speak words that make his hope into a light of an on coming train. Oh yes, coming out of the shell of an introvert life is difficult, but not impossible. Consider the determination of the salmon as it returns to its hatching area. In fact, let obstacles be the impetus that spurs us to action. We might try this experiment with a stranger we meet. “Hello Sir, this is a glorious day to be alive, thank God for it!” Next stir in a little grin or smile, who knows they might think we mean it! Of course, we must maintain a healthy dose of caution when we interact with strangers in this day and age. Prayer and common sense should be the rule of thumb.
VI. CONCLUSION.
Consider for a moment this contrasting illustration. Mary and Sue work at the same health department offices. Mary walks out the door to take a fifteen minute break. She passes by a cubical and over hears her name in a whispered conversation. One of the whisperers says, “Mary is not only fat, but she is stupid.” Across the hall, Sue exits her office to make copies. She over hears her name also behind closed doors. The conversation is dramatically different, however. “That Sue, she is great at her job, you can depend on her work ethic!” Words matter tremendously, choose them wisely, lives are in the balance!
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