DMM: Words Crafted Powerfully and Skillfully

 “Take the very hardest thing in your life - the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there He can bring your soul into blossom. When God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts, it is to have Himself room to work out His great ones.”-Lilias Trotter (M to NAfrica)

 

“Let nothing be said about anyone unless it passes through the three sieves: Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?” -- Amy Carmichael

 

Like apples of gold in settings of silver, so is a word skillfully spoken. -Prov. 25:11

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”-Philippians 4:8

 

My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe (skillful writer).-Psalm 45:1

Words Crafted Powerfully and Skillfully

 

As we head into the last part of the year of a challenging stretch of life, I have been thinking a lot lately about the power of a Holy Spirit led word spoken. I have also been thinking about how in the midst of so much observed chaos, God is constant, He is unchanging.

 

At one of our local team meetings, Hamni sat holding a tattered piece of paper. He explained, 

 

“A few years ago, at one of our team meetings, you had us write down words of life for one another, based upon a DBS on Philippians 4.” He continued, “We took time to write words where we saw Christ-likeness reflected in each other’s lives. Then, we took turns reading out loud what others had written on that piece of paper. I wept. I had never, in all my years of serving the Lord had others share words of life like this to me. I have kept that sheet of paper with those reminders of God’s gracious work in my life under my pillow since that time.”

 

The transformative power of the Cross of Jesus, transforms daily if we choose to rely upon the Holy Spirit. When it comes to what I believe is the under-valued and oft under-utilized opportunity to remind one another of God’s confident hand and work in each of us, the spoken word is a powerful gift to this end. In words crafted skillfully, spoken intentionally, rooted biblically, this breeds encouragement to continue to press into God, no matter the cost. I marvel at how this season has been an incredible opportunity for my own heart to examine the words I can easily default to speak. The choice to rely upon the Holy Spirit to speak words which are life-giving ministers to God, ministers to others, and not surprisingly ministers to our own hearts. To increase in the ability to speak biblically rooted words of life includes the exercise of the three sieves mentioned above: is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary?  

 

May the Lord increase our skilfulness for His glory in this area. The movements which God desires to bring will reflect the DNA modelled in and through our own lives. That reality is at once both soberingly impaling as well as love of Christ compelling. 

 

O God, let it be a DNA which exalts our utter dependence upon your Holy Spirit to bring the transformation in our own hearts as we are set upon seeing the power of the Cross to transform these precious UPGs. In humble dependence upon Your Holy Spirit bring Your correction, conviction of sin, training in righteousness and holiness. Through the power of your redemptive grace and mercy, cause others to see and experience more readily the beauty and the glory of Christ in each of our lives. In Jesus’ matchless name, Amin.