What’s in a Word? Part 5 - Martin Wiles

Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and you will stay out of trouble. Proverbs 21:23 NLT

“I am not a crook” meant nothing—and something.

Politicians are known for their words. President Richard Nixon is famous for the above statement, spoken while defending himself against charges associated with the Watergate scandal. But saying words doesn’t necessarily make them true. People discover this when they vote for individuals to hold certain offices. Promises made are often broken once in office. Or at least not fulfilled due to opposition from another ruling body the candidate can’t control.

One thing is certain: if we keep our mouths shut, we won’t say something we shouldn’t.

Words have the power to destroy relationships. Words have destroyed millions of relationships—words spoken with the intent to kill, or words spoken in the heat of the moment that couldn’t be retrieved when sorrow for speaking them took over. Words can inflict a degree of emotional harm that holds the power to last longer than an act of physical violence. With words, we can build or tear down relationships.

Words reflect the Spirit’s control. As a believer with the indwelling Spirit of God, our words reflect the degree we’re allowing God to control our mouths. Our words will mirror the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. When they don’t, it proves we’ve installed other things or people ahead of God. Our priorities need examining.

Words reflect intelligence. “I’d rather keep my mouth shut and let others think I’m a fool than open it and remove all doubt” is a comical saying with a lot of truth. Words demonstrate knowledge about a particular subject or life in general. If we’re not an authority, we benefit more by listening and learning than speaking out of ignorance. Godly wisdom should adorn our speech.

Words are potent. Martin Luther King, Jr. moved the world with his “I Have a Dream” speech. Words can do that when spoken with intelligence, passion, and wisdom. They can kill or resurrect. In the 1960s, they raised several rights movements. Laws were passed, and societies changed for the good and the bad.

Let God help you carefully choose the words you speak.

Father, let the words I speak build relationships and benefit our world.

Tweetable: What do your words reveal? 

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Stomping Out Prejudice - Martin Wiles

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 1 John 4:20 NKJV

The one place he didn’t want them was…the church.

The monthly deacons’ meeting had rolled around to a popular topic: racial relationships. What brought the matter I can’t remember, but I do remember the conversation. The church “policy” was rehashed. If a person of color entered the sanctuary, the pastor was to close the service as quickly as possible.

I scanned each deacon and said, “Well, you will have to find someone else to do it because I won’t.” It was a conviction I was willing to risk my job over.

More discussion followed. One deacon told of how he worked and even ate lunch with black people. Then came the bombshell, “But I want to be able to go one place where they aren’t.”

Church was his getaway. The place that Martin Luther King, Jr., said was the most segregated place at eleven o’clock every Sunday morning.

Although laws have been passed and wars fought, prejudice lives on. And it extends its ugly claws far beyond race. It creeps into the political, cultural, gender, social, economic, ideological, and even religious arenas of life. Sadly, it affects many believers. Those who allow it to re-interpret the above verse and haven’t learned what God taught Peter when he asked him to go to a Gentile’s house: “God has shown me that he doesn’t think anyone is unclean or unfit (Acts 10:28).

Our sinful nature makes all people struggle with areas of prejudice—but it doesn’t make it acceptable. Pride creeps in, making us think we’re better than another person or group.

Examining one’s family history often reveals the root of prejudice feelings. I never fell prey to racial prejudice—though my family of origin did. Perhaps because I lived through the various “rights” movements of the 1960s and 1970s.

Trying to justify feelings of prejudice with remarks such as, “That’s just the way I am,” or “That’s the way my parents were,” won’t rid it from my life or justify it. Confession and repentance are necessary.

God created and loves all people. His word is clear: if I claim to love Him but hate others, I’m a liar. But the good news is that He is capable to ridding my life of prejudicial feelings. All I have to do is ask and be willing to do the hard work.

Give God your feelings of prejudice so your work and witness for Him won’t be hindered.

Prayer: Father, help us to love all people as You love us. 

Tweetable: What is separating you from others? 

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Dealing with Despair - Martin Wiles

There he came to a cave, where he spent the night. 1 Kings 19:9 NLT

Both men dealt with despair by overcoming it rather than succumbing to it. 

Franklin Delano Roosevelt was President of the United States of America during the worse economical time the country had ever experienced. Through programs he spearheaded, the country was eventually able to recover. 

Roosevelt's large memorial in Washington, DC, depicts some of the incidents associated with his presidency. In one area, a man sits beside the radio waiting to hear what became known as “Fireside Chats.” In another, several men line up in front of a building, representing the thousands who stood in “bread lines” waiting for government help. And in still another, a caped Roosevelt sits in his wheelchair, reminding us that his handicap didn’t deter him from carrying out his presidential obligations. 

The Martin Luther King, Jr., memorial is another testimony of one who didn’t give in to despair. His statue is attached to a large piece of stone that has emerged from a mountain, splitting the mountain in half. Despair for him could have easily come from dealing with the thousands who weren’t interested in giving African-Americans or other minority groups their equal rights. 

Unlike Roosevelt and King, Elijah let despair overtake him. After a major defeat over pagan prophets, he had a death sentence placed on his head by the wicked queen. With despair engulfing him, Elijah ran for his life until he finally took refuge in a cave. Then God asked him what he was doing there. 

Despair is never a God-originated emotional state. 

If I’m feeling despair, Satan is capitalizing on an unpleasant situation or relationship I’m experiencing. His goal is to make me doubt God’s goodness or ability to help me face my circumstances. 

While God doesn’t always remove situations that could lead to despair, He doesn’t expect me to give in to it either. 

If I’ll respond with trust and obedience, He’ll teach me valuable lessons through the experience and also protect me from the damaging effects despair can have. Until God prodded him, Elijah had given up. 

Despair will lead me to the same place unless I trust God to show me how to use the lessons. 

When I do, they will propel me beyond the potentially despairing circumstances. 

Rather than letting despair debilitate you, let God show you the way around and through it. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for giving us the power to endure and overcome circumstances without giving in to despair. 

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