It’s tempting to say whatever we think in the heat of the moment, calling it “honesty” or “candor” – but how often do we think about how that honesty affects those around us? What’s our true motivation for the words we say – the health of our relationships and the glory of God, or our own satisfaction? In this week’s Take Five, we look at the craftsmanship of our words – those that talk about tough issues like sexuality or those that can either lift up or judge our sisters.
Don’t Begrudge Your Cheerful Sister:
As we consider our words and our unique gifts, how can we inhabit grace toward ourselves and others? If we find ourselves tempted to denigrate another’s work or our own, perhaps we need to take a look at why we allow bitterness to creep in and what we steal from others when we do.
“We cry out against the woman who cooks a nice meal or talks kindly about her kids. Surely she is putting on a mask, we might assume. Yet have we ever stepped back to consider that some woman have been especially gifted by God as cheerful, thankful homemakers?” Finish reading here.
Consider Yourself:
In an effort to make peace and control our words, sometimes we can gloss over controversy or hide truth. This powerful post encourages us to use wisdom in our pursuit of God’s heart, and as we deal with brothers and sisters in the church.
“Peace and unity exist in the church not in spite of the truth but precisely because of the truth. Thus, we earnestly contend for the purity of the one, true faith in order to preserve the authentic unity of the one, true bride of Christ for the glory of Christ. Unity at the expense of purity produces anarchy. We cannot have true peace and unity without purity.” Keep reading here.
Forging the Future with the Tip of a Pen (video):
This incredible video reminds us of the power of craftsmanship in our words. What if we were as careful with spoken words as we are with written ones?
In this powerful post, Lysa walks us through her steps for reining in an over-active tongue:
“I need to engage my brain before I engage my mouth. Just like I consider how a purchase will affect my bank account, I have to consider how words will affect my relationship account. I can do this by thinking about how my words will come across and intentionally asking myself if there are better words that could be used in this situation?” Finish the post here.
Virginity is not the point:
“Making virginity the point results in various how-far-will-you-go scenarios with dozens of different people in which you may not be breaking your pledge of sexual abstinence, but you’re also not living under God’s larger call to something greater and sweeter. It is only when purity becomes our central focus that God’s vision for sexuality becomes clear, a cause for celebration and a call to obedience.” Finish the post here.
How can you live in purity today? It might be in your sexuality, your words or your thought-life – but how is God calling you to live out your faith in a tangible way?
Read an earlier Take Five post here.