Please join me in welcoming back my sister, Robin Cook. She was such a hit the first time (legacy part 1), I am excited she is willing to join us again with part 2 of leaving a legacy. This time, she encourages us with leaving a legacy of blessing with words.
I want to continue the theme of leaving a legacy with this blog post. In my last post, I used legacy in terms of the legacy left to me by my mother and my great-grandmother regarding prayer. This post covers the legacy of blessing others with my words. How can I use my words to bless those around me?
Reflecting on Blessing Others
In the past two weeks, I have heard the concept of blessing others in several contexts and situations. I found this interesting, and since I do not believe in coincidences, I am taking time to think about the idea of blessing others. I am looking at how I bless others with my words. I know I bless God as I pray. I frequently use the ACTS (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) model when praying. I want to praise my Heavenly Father. I desire to give Him glory and honor. I usually do this when I pray. But how do I use my words with the people He created in His image?
Biblical Insights on Words
The Power of the Tongue
I do not always maintain a legacy of using my words to bless others. I get angry with people and lash out. I do not always say nice things. I fail with my words. James 3: 8-10 says, “. . . but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right!” (NLT). I often do not bless with my words.
The Difference Between Blessing and Cursing
From this passage, I am reminded that I cannot use my words to praise God and curse humans. The Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary defines the Greek word (kataraomai) used in James 3:9 as praying against or wishing evil against someone. I have no business invoking God’s judgment on anyone. If anything, I should pray for my enemies, bless them, and pray for mercy for the people who are in my life. How does blessing differ from cursing?
Bless God and So Bless Others
Let’s look at how bless/blessing is used. Vine’s defines the Greek word (eulogeo) as “to speak well of, to praise, to celebrate with praise.” I see that this word is usually used for God, and it deals with acknowledging “His goodness, with a desire for His glory” (Vine’s). I should always bless the Lord. Revelation 5:12 teaches that blessing belongs to Him. But I need to remember something: Because I bless God, I should bless others.
Practical Steps to Bless with Words
Seeking God’s Help
When I read this passage, I am convicted by how I use my words. To be transparent, I struggle with my words. If I were living in an ancient Greek tragedy, my words would be my hamartia (my tragic flaw). I need God working in me so that my words do not hurt the people in my life; I need God to help me leave a legacy of blessing others with my words. So how do I go about redeeming my words so that I bless God and bless others?
The Role of the Holy Spirit
By myself, I can’t do this. I need God’s help through the power of the Holy Spirit working in me. The Spirit produces the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (from Galatians 5:22-23). If that fruit is evident in my life, my words will be used the right way. I will bless God and others. James 1:5 reminds the reader that God will generously give us wisdom if we ask for it, which ties to James 3:2, which says, “. . . And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature” (AMP). I desire to be wise, to live wisely, to use my words wisely.
Personal Experience with Encouraging Others
As I grow in my faith, I have learned the importance of using words to bless and encourage. My husband wants me to share an experience where I texted someone who was going through a struggle. I sent prayers to this person daily for over a year. It was a powerful experience of encouraging someone with the power of God’s Word. I learned words of blessing change lives. I also text my son a word of encouragement each day. I endeavor to use the words to bless all the people in my life.
Leaving a Legacy of Blessing
Ultimately I want to leave my son a legacy of blessing him, especially with my words. I pray for the people in my life to receive the blessing that I give to them. The challenge of blessing others resonates with me, and I am glad I have taken the time to ponder this idea. One way that I can bless is for my words to be “fitly spoken like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11 AMP). Appropriate word usage is the legacy I want to use to bless my son and to praise my Heavenly Father.
A word fitly spoken and in due season is like apples of gold in settings of silver.
