Talk it Up!

ROAD TRIPS

Theme: Your choice of words can change, kill, or bring life to situations. Choose your words wisely.

When you hop in a car, on the train or bus, or when you get ready for a road trip what is one of the most common things that most people do? Grab some music!

I enjoy listening to playlist that I have put together, jamming out, singing the songs that I know and that I think that I know.

Recently, I have chosen to ride in silence. It has been absolutely refreshing.

We typically do this to pacify the time as we are leaving from point A to point B. We are leaving from somewhere and headed to somewhere.

We are finding ourselves somewhere ALONG THE WAY.

ALONG THE WAY - I’ve stopped and got gas, snacks,

Then the infamous 7 words happen! IVE GOT TO GO TO THE BATHROOM or THE CAR FEELS FUNNY? ......

I DON’T FEEL TOO GOOD. While in route to my destination.

The next thing that you know, those words have taken possession of the drivers body and now they are careening off of the road and now you are helping an 8 year old lose their lunch. Your trip just got delayed by a few minutes.

Life is the same way. We are all on a Big Road trip. Many people refer to it as a journey.

The similarities come in the form of pacifying, which means to quell the anger or soothing/calming ourselves to endure the process.

In life, in some points you cant pacify the time but for so long. Because at some. the music is going to stop and you have to face the journey.

How you respond matters.

Just like on the road trip with an 8 year old son, the words he used had the power to move a vehicle to the side of the road.

If I could challenge you this morning to do one thing, it would be this: Words have power. Choose your words wisely.

These passages that we will read all deal with our speech and the destruction or power that our communication brings.

1.) Is What You Say or Don’t Say the Obstacle in Your Way?

James 3:3–11 NIV

When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?

As kids, there was a saying that goes “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, if someone can use their words to compel someone else to use a stick and/or stone to break my bones than those words made an impact.

The tongue is an extremely strong and powerful thing. Highly underrated.

Here in James it likens the strength of the tongue to a rudder on a ship. THE TONGUE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN LIGHTLY.

Take your words serious.

One little destructive statement could bring about a domino effect that could crumble an entire home. One word of encouragement could be the very thing needed to build an entire empire.

Proverbs 18:20–21 NIV

20 From the fruit of their mouth a person’s stomach is filled; with the harvest of their lips they are satisfied. 21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

HOW DO YOU SPEAK ABOUT YOURSELF?

What you speak produces outcome.

TRANSITION: You can not tame the tongue. It is best to acknowledge what it does and to conduct yourself wisely.

2.) Watch Your Mouth

Proverbs 13:3 NIV

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.

God gave us 2 lips for a reason! They are the cage for this beast.

Limit your words.

Proverbs 10:19 “19 Sin is not ended by multiplying words, but the prudent hold their tongues.”

We are encouraged to hold our tongues.

Another translation says that, “When there are many words, sin is unavoidable. “

James 1:19 “19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,”

I have heard someone express that same idea, “God gave you two ears and one mouth. Use them proportionately.” (Listen at least twice as much as you speak!)

Wise speech comes from someone who listens well, doesn’t respond quickly, and doesn’t get angry easily.

Ephesians 4:29 “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Transition:

3.) There is LIFE all around me

There is life all around me because I am a fountain of life. Proverbs 10:11

Proverbs 10:11 NIV

The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence.

When I “Talk It Up” I should be talking up things that will turn the tide of someone else’s situation.

When I “Talk it Up” I should be speaking life to dry places. My words should bring life, encouragement, new light in dark places.

There are enough dry, dark, and negative perspectives with platforms. We are those who must speak LIFE.

Proverbs 10:20–21 NIV

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.

Proverbs 16:23–24 NIV

The hearts of the wise make their mouths prudent, and their lips promote instruction. Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

I choose to speak LIFE! all around me.

If I sat down with you today and had a conversation, would I walk away with that same sense about you?

By the way, I had to ask these questions of myself as I was writing this message, and I know I have a great deal of room to grow.

Would I walk away frustrated because you didn’t seem to listen? Would it seem like all you were doing was waiting for me to stop talking so you could show off what you know and impress me with your hot take on the events and affairs of the world?

Can you imagine how much the world around us would be impacted if we would cultivate patterns of wise speech?

We would be able to pursue lasting relationships with people who disagreed with us because we would genuinely hear what they had to say.

We could allow others to grow and flourish as we let them work through thorny thoughts without heading them off with our knowledge and opinion.

We wouldn’t bring shame to the name of Christ as we slow down and respond thoughtfully instead of react quickly to what we see take place.

We would be able to make an impact with our words as people lean in and recognize that there is something different about the way we look at life. ​

Let’s commit to make our words matter.

Remember: it all comes back to Jesus.

He is the foundation of our lives that gives us the acceptance and approval we try to find from others.

By surrendering to him, we receive access to the Spirit of God, who transforms our hearts and our minds to walk in wisdom more and more as we grow.

He is the lens through which we look at life, balancing the different opinions we hear to reach a point of understanding.

Ultimately, he is the wisdom to which we point—we aren’t being reductionistic or simplistic, but surrendering to the Lordship of Christ is the ultimate solution for every problem we are confronted with.

Make your words matter this week.