“The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit.” Proverbs 15:4
Our words SOW LIFE when we invite one another into relationship.
Through the humble sacrifice of Jesus’ own life, we have been graciously invited into relationship with God. It is once again possible for us to live at peace with God, and this also enables us to live harmoniously with one another through the power of His Spirit within us. Following the pattern of a God who humbled Himself to the point of death in order to draw us to Himself, so too can our words draw one another into intimate relationship. Words of humility, of vulnerability, of gentleness—we reap a harvest of life, of true relationship, when we sow these seeds in conversation with one another.
Our words SOW LIFE when we point one another to Jesus and our identity in Him.
Jesus makes the powerful claim that He is The Way, The Truth, and The Life; no one can approach the Father and know Him except through faith in Jesus. Through Jesus (the exact representation of the Father’s being) we know the truth about God’s will and character and we learn the truth about our identity in Him. For example, in 1 Peter 2:9 we are called “a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that [we] may declare the praises of Him who called [us] out of darkness into His wonderful light.” Words of truth are words that agree with reality. We sow seeds of life, of intimacy with God, when we proclaim the reality of who God is and who we are in Christ over one another.
Our words SOW LIFE when we instruct one another to continually return to Scripture.
The heart of life is knowing God and being known by Him. He has lovingly chosen to reveal Himself to us in Scripture, and the primary way we can get to know Him is by meeting Him there. Through His Word, God has shared the mysteries of His character, His desires, and His interests, and has gifted us both the means and the power to encounter Him intimately and become like Him through Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit. We sow seeds that reap a harvest of life, knowing and being known by the Triune God, when we use our words to instruct one another and ourselves to continually return to the Word in which God has revealed Himself.
As you speak to one another, to yourself, and to the Lord, remember:
- Humble words are an invitation into intimate relationship.
- True words remind us of our identity in Christ and deepen relationship.
- Scripture-exalting words instruct us to return to the Word of Life and sustain relationship.
*We are a church located in Greenville, South Carolina. Our vision is to see God transform us into a community of grace passionately pursuing life and mission with Jesus.*
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