Are You Speaking Life Or Death

                                                          

                   I have even thinking a lot about words lately.How they impact us not just in the moment. Also it's effects of them in the future. 

                    I believe we are very guilty of speaking our minds in the heat of the moment. We opened our mouth and spewed whatever we thought was right at the moment. Whether it was right or wrong. Said in love or anger. However no matter what those words settle in the heart to whomever they were shared with. They either caused a crater of hurt or stitched with love.

     I went to my Daddy about these things. I know His Word has some things to say about the tongue. 

        Proverbs 18:21 Tells us the power of life and death are in the tongue

Proverbs 10:32 tells us our lips know what is fitting.

The lips of the righteous know what is fitting, but the mouth of the wicked only what is perverse” 

Proverbs 10:31 tells us our lips can bring forth wisdom.

The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, but a perverse tongue will be cut out” (verse 31).  

This is only a few scriptures on the tongue. However what power such a little part of my body has. It clearly teaches me that my words can bring much hurt or much good!  I took sometime to consider my words. Over time I grown leaps and bounds in the area. I can remember a time in my life I would just say what hit my mind not thinking what long term effects of my words would have on someone else! I now try with all my might to think before I speak words. Let me give you a illustration I have used many time in our children's ministries! 

   Our words are like toothpaste. Once I have squirted it out I am not put it back in the tube! Our words are the same! I can not take it back. They are out there good or bad.

      Our words have a negative and a positive effect on our lives. A good example of this, is if someone has always told you were fat and need to lose weight. No matter how small we become when we look in the mirror those words will always be there. Making us feel that I will never lose enough weight to be considered skinny. Now if you have been told you are beautiful over and over by those around you. When you look in the mirror you will be confident and not feel rejected but accepted. No matter what size you are! 

            Today though we live in a much different world than what I was raised with. Used to be if we wanted to get a mass message out with word good or bad in school. We would write a note and spread that not to everyone we possibly could. Now once that would be how a rumor  would begin and the social networking would begin! Eventually the rumor would make it to the person it was about! Good or bad those words just affected that person. Those words either spoke life or death! 

          Let's say the rumor was this .... I think Shellie's hair is a hot mess today! I don't know what ever made her think she should wear Minnie mouse buns at her age. She needs to dress and act like an adult not a child. 

     When I would hear that people thought of me, I would constantly think that no matter how I wore my hair or the clothes I decided to wear that day. I would think people were judging me and chances are I would never wear my hair that way again,

Now what it this was what was said... I love how Shellie is confident in herself. That she rocks her Minnie buns with her princess shirt and tutu!

  Now when I get dressed the next day and fix my hair. I am gonna feel confident in my appearance.

I am not going to be worried people are making fun of me for being me. 

    Today however things has changed so much! We now have cell phones we can text to send a message, we can email, and we have the mighty social media. Post pictures and give a sense of a perfect life. Or to used to make someone they are not good enough to have been included. These ways give us away to say things we want in a boldness. Often more times than not we are bold in a harsh way not in a way of speaking life. The screen gives us a sense of empowerment. We sometimes become a social bully. Sometimes we don't intend for that to happen it just does. We kinda feel like well if everyone else is giving their opinion theirs should be heard as well. Or instead of speaking like a sponge I absorbed your comments thinking they were meant for me!

 Please don't take me wrong it's okay to think for yourself and have a opinion. It does not mean I need to tell it outloud. The Bible says the power of life and death lies in our tongue.

                                        

      Before I speak or type anything I need ask myself a few things. Is it needed, is it kind, it hurtful or helpful. Here is a biggie! Would I say these things in person the same way? If the answer is no to any of these we should not say or type them. We shouldn't post things that makes others feel less than they are in their social group!

            We teach our children to be kind, not to be a bully,and to be the person God made them to be.Why are we not practicing those very things. In our world today there's so many things going on that spark the temptation to insert our opinion.

   We often put on a mask and become a totally different person than you portray in person. As if we have another personality. This person who becomes invincible online is the exact opposite in person when we are in a crowd of people. We are respectful and hold back our opinions. Most likely because someone you care about is right there with you, there is nothing worth saying to hurt the one I care about! Friend it's the same way when we are on social media. Those people we love and would never say anything to hurt them. Are right there on social media, hearing about a text or email. That just spoke death over them. This time of year for this year is and wonderful time to use politics for example! Everyone has an opinion! All of think that one or the other would be better to run out country than the other! Now using that as my example. At the end of the day God is gonna place the man he wants there in there. There is no reason for me to bash someone I love because they think the person opposite of them should be in office. Their choice should not make me spew comments, post, or gifs,that ever make them feel that I am speaking to them and making them feel like I do not love them. I am one way online and another in front of them. That is not what God intended for us!

    Guys social media can be used for so many wonderful ways of encouragement! It be used to speak life and wisdom. It should not be used to speak death. Something that my amazing husband has been teaching in his G.A.I.N.S Leaders course. Is that is we let negativity be absorbed it becomes an extension of who we are. We begin to compare and kill the things God has placed in you! We have let the power of the tongue steal the unique person God created you and I to be! 

Dolly Parton said it best when she said... "Find out who you are and do it on purpose." I want to add on and off the screen! 

Let's choose today to use our words to grow wisdom and love! Not negativity and hate.

 Think of the testimony's we would hear of God's Grace and love! If people knew they would be hated and killed with negativity because we may be uncomfortable. Our story is all different that is what makes us special!  

Ask yourself in closing are you proud of your on screen words?If not it's never too late change them!  If your being influenced by others maybe you need to make the decision to unfriend people who feed negativity. It's okay to do that you owe no one a explanation of why you are choosing to better you!

I know this may not be my most popular post! God laid this on my heart last Monday! It has taken me a week to get it typed out because I wanted to make sure I was not caught up in the negativity of the online world but rather sharing life and positivity! 

    I can't thank you enough for sharing a moment of your time with me today! I can not begin to explain how much that means to me!

                  Prayerfully Yours ~Shellie~