Building People Up

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. Matthew 12:36

My transmission went out on my pickup a few years ago. The engine ran great, but the pickup just stayed in one spot. It looked good, and it sounded good, but it was useless in the one area it was designed for - moving from point A to point B. So it is with the words we speak.

Some words affect change, while others do not. Some words build up while others tear down. Do the words you speak move people forward or hold them back? Do you spend more words building people up or criticizing their every move? To me, it's kind of troubling that God keeps track of every word I speak when I can't remember what I said an hour ago. My goal has become to speak less and less do nothing words. I don't want to just "make conversation" anymore.

A good rule of thumb is if you borrow something, return it in better condition than it was in. Maybe we should treat people the same way, and leave them in better condition than they were before.

By Rick “Papa” Wilson