Chris M., one of my best friends and roommate in college, had this saying, speak life. In other words, don’t say anything negative about anybody or any institution. Chris would go off on people, “Speak life, speak life,” when they started talking negatively about another person, an organization, or a church. Sometimes people would make fun of him (sometimes I made fun of him). Little did I know that he was laying the foundation for a major theme in my own life and how I believe God calls his people to act in the world.
There are many people that have had nothing, but death spoken to them and not always in words or from others. Sometimes it comes from their own self-talk. The result of this is the person begins to believe the message they are experiencing and spiritually and emotionally dies. Most people cannot get out of this cycle on their own. (Plus, I am not sure we are supposed to or where even created to live in this world alone/in isolation). We need others to show and speak life to us.
There are many biblical passages that empower followers of Christ to be the first to jump at the opportunity to speak life to others. The following passages point out that the people of God are to speak life.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.[1]
Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each
other.[2]
Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.[3]
These verses tell the body of Christ to keep their minds and hearts focused on what is pure, holy, right, true, and proper in other people. To see the best in others and walk with each other through life’s good times and bad times. As we journey with others our main job is to draw the good things out of people.
Isn’t this what the Triune God does for us when one enters the dance with Them? He loves people no matter where they are at in their lives and points out all their strengths. Understanding that God loves you right where you are at and is more interested in pointing out your strengths than your faults is an important aspect of the process of change and healing. An example of this happened when I worked at Cup of Cool Water (CCW), a Christian Ministry I worked at. The CCW staff felt the Lord was telling them to compliment the kids whenever they asked a question. A youth would ask to go to the clothing room, and the staff would say something they appreciated about the youth. The CCW staff was not only seeing the good that was in the youth, but they were telling them as well. They began to speak life into the youth.
I understand this is a hard thing to believe, that God is furiously in love with you and only sees the best in you. Many people I have run into over the years have a difficult time believing they are totally loved by God/Presence with no strings attached. Many have said “Yes, I understand, BUT there is no way God loves this (whatever “this” is. You fill in the blank) about me. Therefore, They could never really fully love me." I beg to differ. In the words of Brennan Manning, “God loves you just as you are and not as you should be.” Can you imagine what would happen to each of us and the world if we started believing this fact?
I would like to invite each of us to begin to see what is pure, holy, right, true, and proper in other people and yourself. Then tell them and yourself. If this is done enough, maybe we/you/me will begin to believe it.
If you would like to know more about Spiritual Direction please visit my website, www.yourstoryandaflashlight or email me at mark@yourstoryandaflashlight and we can meet to talk about it.
[1] Philippians 4:8 (New Living Translation).
[2] Romans 12:9–10 (New Living Translation).
[3] Romans 12:14–15 (New Living Translation).
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