Monday, November 06, 2006

A Word Fitly Spoken

If you're blogging, there's a chance it's because you like to write. Put me in that category. I find it hard sometimes to verbalize what I'm really thinking or feeling. But give me a nice Bic mechanical pencil and some college-ruled paper, or a computer, and words just flow. (Well, usually! Sometimes they get stuck!)

So what are you doing with your words? Do you, like me, just enjoy writing for the sake of writing? For the mere opportunity to express yourself? Or, also like me, do you long to be published (okay, do church newsletters count?) Do you feel like when pen (or pencil) hits the paper, you're fulfilling your purpose in life?

Whatever your intent in writing, consider the fathomless realm of words .I once heard someone propose that somewhere in the time/space dimension, all words that have ever been spoken still exist. Remember that email you sent in haste or blog post you deleted? Chances are it's still hanging around in cyberspace today. Likewise you've been influenced either for good or bad by something someone said years ago.

Consider that the word "word" appears over 500 times in Scripture. And consider that when Christ came to dwell in the flesh, John explained that it was the very Word of God choosing to abide with us. The eternal, all-powerful, all-knowing Word of God. And of all his creation, we are the only ones God has chosen to share this power with. Not that our words are all powerful, but they certainly possess a power beyond our understanding. The power to lift up or tear down. The power to heal. The power to nurture and encourage. That God chose to make us partakers of his creation in this way simply astounds me.

The opportunities to use our words in ways to bless others are many, and yet I know I miss opportunities right and left when I'm focused on that next blog post or writing project. So here's a challenge for all of us: picture yourself as a master craftsman and your words as the tools of your trade. In addition to our blogging, how can we use our words in upcoming weeks to bless someone and build them up? I've listed just a few ideas below; I'm sure you can think of many more ways.

  1. Drop someone a handwritten thank you note.
  2. Take a minute to let someone know specifically how they've encouraged you.
  3. Take a minute to specifically encourage someone else.
  4. Leave a comment on a new blog you've discovered.
  5. Speak a word of praise about someone to someone else.
  6. Drop your pastor and his wife a note of gratitude.
  7. Let a ministry leader in your church know how their efforts have blessed you.
  8. Make someone laugh. Go ahead and share that funny story on yourself!
  9. Look up someone who influenced you in some positive way in years past and thank them for allowing God to use them in your life.
  10. Send a card to someone on your church's prayer list whom you really don't know and let them know you're praying for them (assuming, of course, you will pray for them).
Psalm 25:11 A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

8 comments:

Katrina @ Callapidder Days said...

Great post, Dianne. There are SO many opportunities to use our words for good and yet it's so easy to ignore or miss those opportunities completely. I do try to do some of the things on your list, but I'm not very consistent about it. Thanks for the encouragement to keep at it!

Susanne said...

Excellent Dianne. Great encouragement! You used your words well!

Ms. Kathleen said...

I love to write. When I was younger I wrote a lot of letters, short stories, poetry,... I think it was the only way I felt I could explain myself and the only way I felt someone could possibly understand me. I have had some poems published, letters to the editor and of course the proverbial church newsletter! Ha!

I do hope to publish a book someday. I really ought to work on it a more often but I find that is it just never perfect enough. Vanity! :(

You have some great ideas as well!

Anonymous said...

I don't write as well as others but we can all use our spoken or written words to encourage. Thanks for the encouragement to do so, and the ideas are good ones!
Congrats on winning with your costume pic, so cute!
www.hambones.org/blogs/gail

Unknown said...

Okay, I've thought about this some more. Yes, I blog because I love to write. The more I write, the more I love it.

Thanks for the challenge to use the gift to encourage others.

Barb said...

Wow Dianne. There's a lot of food for thought in this post. You've got me asking myself why I write. I don't think I'm very profound so I don't know if what I write really affects anyone in any way at all. I think I do it as a creative outlet. I need to think about this.

Stacy at Exceedingly Mundane said...

Wonderful post Dianne!!!

Anonymous said...

Great post Di! Thanks for all the encouraging notes you send me.
Mom