Words That Build
Have you ever been a representative for someone or something? When you belong to a group of people, or you represent someone, what you say and how you say it matters. Anything you say is a reflection of the person or thing you’re representing.
As Christians, we are representatives for Jesus. Paul says that we are ambassadors or representatives of Christ because He is no longer physically on earth ministering to people (2 Corinthians 5:20). Instead Jesus is working through His people to accomplish what He wants done on earth.
Since everything we say and do is a representation of Jesus, we need to choose our words wisely. When we use words to gossip and slander, hurt or damage—we don’t represent Jesus’ heart and character. But when our words are used to encourage someone, what we say has a lot of potential for good.
You’re probably familiar with the power words can have. Has someone ever said something to you that was painful? Or can you remember the last time someone complimented you? You might still remember how each of those situations made you feel.
You might not have been able to control what was said to you, but you can control what you say to others. So take a few moments to think about the things you’ve said recently. Is there anything you’ve said that you need to seek forgiveness for? Choose today to represent Christ and His character by intentionally speaking words that are good and helpful.
The Mission of God
All of our lives are spent on something.
Most people spend their days focused on growing a family, building a career, or amassing possessions. While none of those things are necessarily wrong, they can become distractions from our ultimate goal in life.
In the book of Acts, we see Paul’s transformation in Christ. As a result of meeting Jesus and being changed by His grace, Paul spends the rest of his life preaching the good news of Jesus.
For Paul, God’s grace and salvation were so great that nothing on this earth could compare to doing His work.
Paul said that nothing in his life mattered as much as telling others about God’s grace. His goal in life was to finish his own race well by faithfully accomplishing as much of the mission of God as possible:
"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God's grace."
Acts 20:24 NIV
The mission of ...