Listening to the Holy Spirit:
Without love of another, even true words can be received as false. Fear the words of he who shows no trust of others. His lips appear to lie without cause, and his own dishonesty condemns him. He who loves, speaks highly of those he loves, even when others doubt. He who does not love, speaks low of those who deserve it not. Which are you? My Spirit calls the soul to love, to forgive, to lift. He who speaks low of others, listens not to My words of life. Especially to your brother, who carries also My forgiveness, the lips of those who love, speak no evil against even his imperfection. My words for you are favorable as My love flows in grace to you, covering much of your own imperfection. Sow words of the Spirit, not of the flesh, and you shall harvest the fruit which gives life, both to you and those whom you strengthen.
Ps 75:7 (ESV) – …but it is God who executes judgment, putting down one and lifting up another.
Luke 6:45 (ESV) –The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.
James 4:11-12 -(ESV) – Do not speak evil against one another, brothers. The one who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks evil against the law and judges the law. But if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge. 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
EPH 4:29 (ESV) – Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Taking It to Work:
Many moons ago, I accepted a job, where to this day, I believe was a complete set-up from the Lord. The job was way over my head. I didn’t have near the experience or qualifications for doing the job, but somehow or another God arranged some incredible circumstances, and arranged some people (people that thought a bit too high of me) in places where me getting the job was inevitable.
I didn’t know how bad it was until I had moved my family and me across the country and they laid out in front of me all of which I was going to be responsible. Every person on my team would have been my boss where I had come from, and every one of them was so excited that I was there. Expectations were very high. Except mine.
One person changed all that for me, and no it wasn’t Jesus, although I would say He had a big hand in placing her there. It was my direct report, Alice. I have never met a person that talked so highly of someone she didn’t really know. She never had a negative thing to say, and any chance she had to brag on me, she would, even if I was standing right there. Her expectations were so high, and her belief in my abilities so complete, and I was so stuck, I decided I would not let her down, and boy did I go to work. I prayed, I read books, I went in at o’dark thirty, trying my best to rise up and live up to all she hoped for. After all, it was her reputation as well as mine that was on the line. Well, without a lot of detail, and with lots of help from the Lord, somehow I actually lived up to those high expectations, but I can tell you, I never would have, without Alice’s over-the-top belief I could do it, expressed in her empowering words on my behalf.
Who do you need to start speaking well of? If we care for our employees, co-workers, and bosses, we will treat them as God would want us to. We would not talk down to them, or talk poorly about them. Our prayer should be to develop a Godly love, and speak high and hopeful expectations, for all those who work with us. Jesus speaks very highly of us; probably higher than He should. Let’s do the same for others, as His Word works in us, today.
