Pastor David:
All right, here we go. All right. Should we have a drum roll
Jared:
In here? <Laugh>. Okay. Okay. Right. Let's take a look at it, Okay. Okay. So this one is someone who wanted to have you talk about the importance of our words.
Pastor David:
Oh, okay. The importance of our words. Well, the Bible clearly says that life and death is in the power of the tongue. You know we are in greater or lesser degree products of our profession and confession that can be taken to extremes as anything can. But I think our words are critical. In fact, the Bible talks in relationship to God himself. The scriptures say that he magnifies his word above his name. Hmm. So if you think about it in that context your name is validated based on how you perform according to your word. Sure. Yeah. So if we don't do well with our word, if our word doesn't mean anything, then our name is mud, if our word is meaningful, if we make a promise and we fulfill it. If you hear any language like that.
If he told you "do it", you do it. Yeah. then you're elevating your name. So in that context, you know, God has clearly magnified his word above his name, because he understands that his name is predicated on his word. Mm. So, I think it's always important to understand that there are several ways we can relate to it. The first one is being people of our word. So it's relationship to promise, it's relationship to commitment to what we you know, let our yes. Be yes. Our no be no. Right. Yeah. The idea are we people of our word mm-hmm, does it, does it matter? Or are we one of those people that when people relate to us, they don't have high regard for what we say, because our word doesn't mean that much, because we don't handle it as precious.
Right. Or significant or valuable. We don't understand that our reputation is connected to our word. And so that's one way of relating to our, to our word. The second way of relating to our words is framing life and death in our words. So is the language that comes out of our mouth. The Bible says, outta the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks. So is what's coming out of our mouth is a reflection of what is in our heart and what is in our mind. So, to say, say something and say, Oh, I didn't mean that. Or to say something that's wounding and say, Well, I hope you didn't take that wrong is a little disingenuous. So it, I realize that that does happen in innocent ways. Sure. Yeah. Yeah. But it's really important to, the Bible says, guard your heart with all diligence because out of it proceeds the issues of life.
Right. So, how do I know what's preceding outta my heart? Well, the faucet for my heart is my mouth. Yeah. Yeah. So whatever I turn, whatever my words turn on is what is in my heart. So my words then become a magnifying glass, a window into what's in my heart. Yeah, definitely. So am I a man of faith? Am I a man of doubt? Am I a man of fear? Am I a man of encouragement and confidence? Am I a man that's thankful? Am I a man that's critical? And this is all related? How do I know that? How do I know that? I only know that by your words. Sure. Yeah. So, once again life and death is in them. So you wanna speak life, you wanna speak blessing. The Bible says, Bless and curse not.
So the idea is to be intentional with your words. So there's, there's this idea that if I'm free with my language just not having to be thoughtful with it, in other words, it's, it's authentic. It's not, you know, I'm not going through a bunch of mental gymnastics as I'm communicating. Sure, Yeah. Then it's more genuine and I think that that's true. But sometimes when you listen to what you say, you might actually be appalled with what you say. Yeah, sure. Because we always judge ourselves by our intentions, and we always judge others by their actions. Yep. Right. And so it's really important that we listen to what we say, that we try to frame a world our world by our words mm-hmm. And so it will, it will influence our cultures, our home, our workplace.
Sure. Our school, wherever it's at, it'll influence our culture, and the way we talk. It'll influence our own attitudes. It will make us either receptive or reticent of receiving correction instruction, edification, exhortation, and comfort. And oftentimes our words will set that stuff up so it becomes really important. So it's a window, but it's also, a seed mm-hmm. Where it invites specific kinds of growth. Yeah. So if all you're hearing from me is negative, and you'll never, and I'll never, and Right. We'll, never, then what happens is it begins to sew that kind of scene. For sure. Yeah. In your, in your world. And the next thing you know Yeah. You, you've, you've framed your world by your words. Yeah. So it's really important, scripturally, I think think the word emphasizes it dynamically. Yeah. And I think it's important that we are thoughtful Yeah.
And that we are specific in the way we talk and the words that we use and how we use them. And because that will, it will create a better quality of life Sure. For us, it'll reflect the goodness and glory of God too. So, Yeah. I think it's, you know, let the high praises of God be in their mouth mm-hmm. Right. And the two edges sword in their hands, I will praise the Lord, Bless the Lord at all times, his praise will continually be in my mouth. Yeah. Right. So it's this idea that I wanna film my mouth wants to be filled with praise, edification, exertion, and comfort. Yeah. Yeah. And we can strive for that in our language, we'll become that in our person.
It's a way of kind of molding our interior, man.
Jared:
So you think that's how it happens? You've fixed the way you speak, you, you pay attention to the way you speak, and then well...
Pastor David:
Yeah. It's a window, right? Yeah. So it, it kind of, it kind of reveals to you how you're thinking, how you're relating, what your attitude is towards things. Yeah. And if you can be honest about what you're hearing. Right. Right. Or if people say, you always say that, or you're, you know, I don't even like to talk to you because you're always so negative kind of stuff. Well, don't just kind of say, Ah, you don't know what you're talking about for sure. Yeah, yeah. No, hey, hey, they're the ones that are listening to you.
Jared:
Yeah. Right.
Pastor David:
Right. So you probably should take a pause at that and realize, Okay, I need to get control over that. And even if it doesn't feel real authentic to me, Yeah. Be intentional, don't be disingenuous. Right. But be intentional. Yeah. Right.
Jared:
Sure. That makes sense.
Pastor David:
So, so don't give yourself over to the, to the negative and to the wrong and to the, you know, the stuff that would, you know, degenerate a situation. Yeah, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable unto God, My Redeemer. Right, Right. Let the words of my mouth Yeah. And the meditation of my heart. Right, right, right. So they all almost understood that those two things are dynamically linked and that I need to be thoughtful in no idle word coming out of my mouth. Yeah. But idle word doesn't mean you know, frivolous or anything. It means really idle in the sense of it has no value, interesting vanity. It's this idea, there's no value in what I'm saying. Yeah. Right. And, so try to avoid language that doesn't have value.
Jared:
Sure. Yeah. Right. Makes sense.
Pastor David:
So how could you convey something that is maybe critical in the right way, like positive criticism. Right. Right. So you're doing something, but it's not good that you're doing it. Yeah. How do I convey that and should I convey that? Right. Right. Yeah. So what do you think? Should I convey that? Should I, if I have a responsibility to help somebody along, should I ever say something negative? If it had, if, if the purpose behind it is to create a...
Jared:
Positive result? Yeah, I think so. I think, yeah. Especially, I think it depends on relationship for sure. Like, does this person know that you have their best intentions in mind? Right. But I think if you've already established that relationship dynamic, I don't think there's ever an issue. Maybe not ever, but like, I don't think in most cases there's an issue with saying, Hey man, like, you know, you're better than this. You know, like Right. This doesn't line up with who you are, you know?
Pastor David:
Right, right. And, so once again, it doesn't preclude that we don't have to say things that would maybe be critical Sure. Or maybe would be corrective Yeah. Or maybe would be instructive mm-hmm. <Affirmative> because, and, and you have to say, No, we don't do it this way. This is the way we do it. Yeah. It's not saying that you remove any of those dynamics, it's just saying, being sure. Being careful with the way we say those things.
Jared:
Yeah, Sure. Sure.
Pastor David:
Right. And, and I agree that it's usually the relationship that is key to that. Yeah. But it's not always the case. Sure. Yeah. It's not always the case. So, you know, it would be wrong for me to see somebody stepping out into traffic and not scream Sure. Hey, stop.
Jared:
Yeah, yeah..
Pastor David:
Yeah, yeah. You know, I know you want to do that, and it might hurt your feelings, but I'm saving your life.
Jared:
Yeah. Right. Sure.
Pastor David:
Yeah. So that's an obvious example. Yeah, sure. Sure. But, the point is, it's really, it doesn't mean the exclusion of what would be considered maybe negative words. Sure. But they're not spoken for negative reasons. Yeah. Or for negative purposes. Right. Right. And that's the difference.
Jared:
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And I think the authenticity piece goes along with that too, you know what I mean? If you're authentically worried about somebody, it's not gonna feel like a negative thing for you to criticize a situation, you know?
Pastor David:
Right. Yeah. So yeah, it we're, it's always a balance. You know, I've seen people get really almost imprisoned by, you know the... what I call - the word trap. Yeah. Where it's, I can, you know, I can, I can only speak faith. I can only, And then it's like, you can't say anything to be corrective, and that's, that's not right either. Sure. I mean, Jesus said some pretty dramatic things.
Jared:
<Laugh> Yeah.
Pastor David:
And I maybe you would consider controversial and even negative things. Sure. You know, specifically, in confronting the scribes of Pharisees, he called 'em whitewash tombs and, you know SEPs that are full of dead man's bones. Yeah, yeah. You know, they would, they, they sought around the world to make somebody twofold more the child of hell than they were themselves. I mean, this is the language that was like, whoa.
Jared:
Yeah.
Pastor David:
Yeah. Coming from Jesus. Right, right, right. So once again his intention was to bring correction Yeah. To bring instruction, to operate an authority, and to confront a wrong.
Jared:
Yeah. Right.
Pastor David:
Right, right. And so it's, you know, we gotta balance that well, we gotta have the right heart Yeah. The right intention. And that's, that's really the key for sure. And hopefully seeps through my language.
Jared:
Yeah, for sure. Man, that's, hopefully, that helps. Yeah. It was super helpful to me. Cause I think especially the relationship between white-knuckling it and like really thinking about what you're saying, but then also maintaining that authenticity, I think that's kind of the hardest piece of that. Do you know what I mean? But that, Yeah, all that makes a lot of sense, so. Yep.
Pastor David:
Absolutely.
Jared:
Yeah. Appreciate you, man. We appreciate you guys. Thank you for that question. And we'll see you next week.
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