Loving Well: Words of Affirmation: Various Text

Loving Well: Words of Affirmation

Various Texts

Words of Affirmation

• Words are powerful tools
  • They can build up or tear down
  • As an act of love, words are to be used to encourage, strengthen, and nurture
• Words are both what is spoken and what is written

 

God as the Lover

• The Bible is primarily a love letter to us from God (Songs 2:4)
• What does He say about us?
  • We are made in His image, and therefore of great value (Gen 1:26, 31)
  • He is with us and for us (Deut 31:8; Rom 8:31)

 

Our Response of Love (John 10:27-29)

• We need to listen to His instructions, which are for our good (Isa 48:17-18)
• Our praise is a response to God’s love (Ps 63:3; 106:1; 117:2)

 

Loving Words to Each Other

• Encouragement rather than criticism (1 Thess. 5:11, 14; James 5:9)
  • 20 good words are canceled out by 1 bad one!
• Concern rather than gossip (1 Cor 12:25-26; Pro 16:28)
• Correction rather than flattery (Pro. 25:12; Pro 27:6; Pro 28:23)
• Not just the words, but also the tone (Pro. 15:1; 25:11)

 

Words of Love to Our Community

• Sharing the Gospel is sharing God’s love
• Everything that applies to how we speak to other Christians should apply to how we show love to our neighbors
  • Except we cannot expect non-believers to live by biblical truth
    • We must model that before we can proclaim it
  • Being known for what we are for more than what we are against
    • 20 good words are canceled out by 1 bad one!

So What?

• Are we loving with our words?
  • Speaking God’s truth
  • Building others up

Meditation Verse: Ephesians 4:15