I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all. – Ephesians 4:1-6
Words matter.
How we refer to other places…how we refer to other people, matters.
The childhood cliche that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me” is simply untrue. Almost every single day, I talk to people whose lives have been damaged by the words of another. Our sense of self is largely derived from the impression of others, and people go to great lengths to control the perception that others have of them. We know that words matter.
We live in a broken world; a world where we often look, see and say the negative. But we follow a Savior who uses different words. Jesus calls you…calls all of God’s people::
- Beloved
- Image of God
- Child of God
- Light of the world
- Loved beyond measure
Words matter.
Rather than use words that tear each other down, we should use the words that Jesus uses. We should look at each other through the same filter that Jesus uses: Love and grace.
Let’s choose our words wisely.
God’s peace, friends!
Pastor Todd
Test Driving Theology 