Reason #764
This is the last week of the conversation bible study I've been doing. It has been such a good, and quite convicting, study. Truthfully, when I started the study, I wondered how in the world the author was going to be able to come up with 7 weeks worth of information concerning speech. Well, she definitely managed to do that, and she came up with 7 incredible weeks of information covering speech. I always feel a little sad at the end of each study because I just want to know more. I feel like this study has just helped me scratch the surface, and so I tend to fear that I'll stop digging deeper if I don't have the little workbook to show me where to dig. Well, the truth is. I've learned quite a bit over these past few weeks, so maybe I need to be more concerned about actually practicing it rather than digging.
I think we can all agree that sometimes a lack of words is the best option. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"..."You say it best when you say nothing at all.".. you get it. Sometimes it is best to keep your words to yourself. Words make a big impact, and so if you aren't going to be making a positive one, don't speak up. Yet, sometimes, it's the silence that cuts more than words. Sometimes, it's the lack of words that hurts the most. And, this week, I realized that it's often our silence towards one another that is completely discouraging.
There are times when I don't want to say nice things. There are times when I avoid conversation, so I do it. Sometimes, I intentionally choose not to speak up. And sometimes, I use it as an excuse. I think to myself, "How could they be upset? I didn't say a word." But sometimes it's not what you say, it's what you didn't say.
Our co-worker gets a promotion, the one we were hoping to get, and although we don't say anything bad about them, we also don't congratulate them on the job well done. Our friend gets engaged, and we go out of our way to make sure we don't congratulate her because we thought we'd be in her shoes, or that she doesn't even deserve to be in her shoes. Our old roommate found out she's expecting, and although we haven't spoken to her in years, Facebook has informed us of her due date as well as her baby's profile. We could easily type "Congrats!" on her wall, but we don't because it seems like she's gotten enough well wishes anyway. And so we haven't said anything bad, per se. We haven't been rude or negative or even mean. We've just been silent, and the truth is, our silence speaks for itself.
The world is a really discouraging, dog-eat-dog place, and this is the last place you're going to find encouragement. The world isn't going to build you up. It's not going to take time to compliment you or congratulate you. The world is going to do what it can to try and beat you. It's going to turn your failures into its own successes and then remind you of that over and over and over again. The world is not going to take the time to come along side you and spur you on when you're feeling low. It's not going to give you a high five and cheer with you when you've done well. Rather, the world will be silent, acting as if you're no big deal, thus leading you to believe that no one really cares.
And so that's why we have one another. We are here to care. We're here to celebrate with one another. We're here to support and love one another. Not in silence, but by word and in deed. Because when we got engaged, we remember how much it meant to us to hear "Congratulations!" And when we had a child, we remember how loved we felt when people asked how we were doing. And when our job changed and we were promoted, we remember how encouraged we were to have other people cheering for our success. And we realize that love can be felt in many forms, and rarely does it come in the form of silence.
Cheer your friends on. Build them up. Congratulate them. Don't avoid them or refuse to speak to them, and don't assume that your comments won't matter. They do. Just like no good deed goes unnoticed, neither does a good word. And usually, both of those bring about great returns!
#764 - Because His words are encouraging.
"The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense." - Proverbs 10:20-21
I think we can all agree that sometimes a lack of words is the best option. "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all"..."You say it best when you say nothing at all.".. you get it. Sometimes it is best to keep your words to yourself. Words make a big impact, and so if you aren't going to be making a positive one, don't speak up. Yet, sometimes, it's the silence that cuts more than words. Sometimes, it's the lack of words that hurts the most. And, this week, I realized that it's often our silence towards one another that is completely discouraging.
There are times when I don't want to say nice things. There are times when I avoid conversation, so I do it. Sometimes, I intentionally choose not to speak up. And sometimes, I use it as an excuse. I think to myself, "How could they be upset? I didn't say a word." But sometimes it's not what you say, it's what you didn't say.
Our co-worker gets a promotion, the one we were hoping to get, and although we don't say anything bad about them, we also don't congratulate them on the job well done. Our friend gets engaged, and we go out of our way to make sure we don't congratulate her because we thought we'd be in her shoes, or that she doesn't even deserve to be in her shoes. Our old roommate found out she's expecting, and although we haven't spoken to her in years, Facebook has informed us of her due date as well as her baby's profile. We could easily type "Congrats!" on her wall, but we don't because it seems like she's gotten enough well wishes anyway. And so we haven't said anything bad, per se. We haven't been rude or negative or even mean. We've just been silent, and the truth is, our silence speaks for itself.
The world is a really discouraging, dog-eat-dog place, and this is the last place you're going to find encouragement. The world isn't going to build you up. It's not going to take time to compliment you or congratulate you. The world is going to do what it can to try and beat you. It's going to turn your failures into its own successes and then remind you of that over and over and over again. The world is not going to take the time to come along side you and spur you on when you're feeling low. It's not going to give you a high five and cheer with you when you've done well. Rather, the world will be silent, acting as if you're no big deal, thus leading you to believe that no one really cares.
And so that's why we have one another. We are here to care. We're here to celebrate with one another. We're here to support and love one another. Not in silence, but by word and in deed. Because when we got engaged, we remember how much it meant to us to hear "Congratulations!" And when we had a child, we remember how loved we felt when people asked how we were doing. And when our job changed and we were promoted, we remember how encouraged we were to have other people cheering for our success. And we realize that love can be felt in many forms, and rarely does it come in the form of silence.
Cheer your friends on. Build them up. Congratulate them. Don't avoid them or refuse to speak to them, and don't assume that your comments won't matter. They do. Just like no good deed goes unnoticed, neither does a good word. And usually, both of those bring about great returns!
#764 - Because His words are encouraging.
"The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless.The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense." - Proverbs 10:20-21