Share What Is Good
We all know people who are perpetually negative. If the sun is shining, they'll complain about getting sun burned. If it's raining, they're wearing new shoes. If their favorite team is losing, it's the end of the world. If their team is winning, it must be a fluke and it will never last.
These are the people that, intentionally or not, tend to bring us down with them. We can start the day walking on sunbeams with a smile that could break our face, but by evening, we look like someone kicked our dog - all because we've spent time with someone negative.
Did you know that there's a way to break this cycle?
It's all about attitude. If your heart attitude is right and you've spent time this morning with the Lord, you've got all you need to fight negativity with truth. And you don't need sunshine, lollipops and rainbows to do it.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29
Paul reminds us that nothing should come out of our mouths unless it is specifically to lift someone up. Edifying means building up, instructing and improving the mind. These are to be our motivation every time we speak.
But this can be so hard when all someone wants to talk about is doom and gloom. And we're not talking just "glass-half-empty" people. There are often people in our lives who are so bogged down in everything that has gone wrong in their lives that they can't see the proverbial forest for the trees. After a while, that weighs down on us and can start bringing us down to their level.
Reread that verse from Ephesians: ...that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Our words can be used by God to minister to others. This is impossible if we're repeating negativity back to someone in need. But when we're read up, studied up and prayed up, we can be a vessel unto honor, fit for the Master's use.
Imagine being a God-called tool in lifting someone up. Picture being chosen specifically for this moment to share the truth of the Lord with someone who is desperate. That's a gift for them, but it's also a blessing for us, knowing that God Himself thinks we're capable of building that person up.
So share what is good. Don't get sucked into a "my life is worse than yours" sparring match. Instead, look them in the eye. Smile. And tell them that your God is bigger than that. Then explain all the great and mighty things He's done in your life. It might be the only time today they'll hear something positive.
And you can let them know it came from God's Word, that you're just passing it on.
These are the people that, intentionally or not, tend to bring us down with them. We can start the day walking on sunbeams with a smile that could break our face, but by evening, we look like someone kicked our dog - all because we've spent time with someone negative.
Did you know that there's a way to break this cycle?
It's all about attitude. If your heart attitude is right and you've spent time this morning with the Lord, you've got all you need to fight negativity with truth. And you don't need sunshine, lollipops and rainbows to do it.
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Ephesians 4:29
Paul reminds us that nothing should come out of our mouths unless it is specifically to lift someone up. Edifying means building up, instructing and improving the mind. These are to be our motivation every time we speak.
But this can be so hard when all someone wants to talk about is doom and gloom. And we're not talking just "glass-half-empty" people. There are often people in our lives who are so bogged down in everything that has gone wrong in their lives that they can't see the proverbial forest for the trees. After a while, that weighs down on us and can start bringing us down to their level.
Reread that verse from Ephesians: ...that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
Our words can be used by God to minister to others. This is impossible if we're repeating negativity back to someone in need. But when we're read up, studied up and prayed up, we can be a vessel unto honor, fit for the Master's use.
Imagine being a God-called tool in lifting someone up. Picture being chosen specifically for this moment to share the truth of the Lord with someone who is desperate. That's a gift for them, but it's also a blessing for us, knowing that God Himself thinks we're capable of building that person up.
So share what is good. Don't get sucked into a "my life is worse than yours" sparring match. Instead, look them in the eye. Smile. And tell them that your God is bigger than that. Then explain all the great and mighty things He's done in your life. It might be the only time today they'll hear something positive.
And you can let them know it came from God's Word, that you're just passing it on.
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