I
finished the series called LABELS this past Sunday at The Community
Fellowship. We took a different point of
view from the normal “stop believing lies” and moved to ask questions about the
words we say. Do we ever use our words
to give people wrong labels? The answer
is yes.
One
of the passages of Scripture I used is something I want to share with you today. It is about marriage and how a husband and wife
deal with each other. But this also
applies to in other ways. The Message
says it best, I believe. Read on…
The husband provides leadership to his
wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing.
So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives
should likewise submit to their husbands.
25-28 Husbands,
go all out in your love for your wives, exactly as Christ did for the church—a
love marked by giving, not getting. Christ's love makes the church whole. His
words evoke her beauty. Everything he does and says is designed to bring the
best out of her, dressing her in dazzling white silk, radiant with holiness.
And that is how husbands ought to love their wives. They're really doing
themselves a favor—since they're already "one" in marriage.
Here
are some things that are true about us and everyone. I pray we apply this truth so that we will
encourage others to believe the right things, the right labels about
themselves.
You are a leader of others. Our words
influence the people around us whether we believe it or not. People are listening and believing what we
say. As we submit ourselves to Christ,
our words will change, and we will become more like Jesus. It is important to submit to others by serving
them with our words which is one way to be submisive.
Love others with our words … giving not
taking is what this passages reminds
us to do. Are your words taking things
from people or building in to them greatness?
This is a tough but great question to answer.
The
husband sold out to loving his wife will share
a love that makes his wife whole. We
can and must do the same with the people we encounter. This may be our children, our neighbors, the
people we work with or countless others.
Our words ought to inspire people to be great and whole.
Words with love will evoke beauty in
others. This is often rare but so needed. When we allow our words to give and share
truth, lives will be changed, and we will evoke beauty or grace from others.
Finally,
God calls us to share a love designed to
bring out the best in others. Words
are a place where this is easily seen.
When we are negative and cutting, we are inflicting pain and tearing
people apart. When our words are
encouraging and building, we are helping others become what God made them to be
and to become better people.
May
God use our words to give life and strength and truth to all the people we come
in contact with!
Instead, we will speak the truth in love,
growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body,
the church.
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