Greetings, Wizards of Words!
Are you ready to continue our enchanting journey through the Book of James? In our last adventure, we uncovered the superpower of words. Today, we’re saddling up and setting sail to explore how our words can steer the course of our lives—if we let God take the reins and helm. So, strap on your riding boots and grab your captain’s hat. It’s time to wrangle some words!
James presents us with two vivid metaphors to illustrate this concept:
3 We can make a large horse go wherever we want by means of a small bit in its mouth. 4 And a small rudder makes a huge ship turn wherever the pilot chooses to go, even though the winds are strong.
James 3:3–4 (NLT)
Just as the horse needs a rider and the ship needs a captain to chart their paths, our words need to be directed by something (or Someone) beyond ourselves. Without the right guidance, a horse can wander aimlessly, and a ship can veer off course. Similarly, our words can create chaos when not properly directed by God.
So, how do we navigate this? Here’s where we bring out a handy compass for our words: The T.H.I.N.K. principle. Before you speak, ask yourself:
Is it Truthful? (Ephesians 4:25)
Is it Helpful? (Proverbs 15:23)
Is it Inspiring/uplifting? (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
Is it Necessary? (Ephesians 4:29)
Is it Kind? (Ephesians 4:32)
If your words can pass the T.H.I.N.K. test, then they’re likely to be words that honor God and benefit those who hear them. Remember, it’s not just about the words themselves, but the spirit in which they’re spoken. Our goal is to let God guide our words, to speak with His love, wisdom, and kindness.
So, fellow Words Wranglers, are we ready to let God take the reins of our words? Are we ready to use our words to steer our lives in a positive direction? Let’s harness the power of our words and set sail on this exciting voyage!
How can you use your words to steer your life in a positive direction? Is it even possible?
It is definitely possible to use my words to steer my life in a positive direction. One way I could do that now is to remind myself that this life is a gift from God, He gives and takes away any time He chooses to so I am to take the most advantage of it even though it might not seem as if my life is moving forward or moving at all. Even though I don’t think about giving up on the thing I am doing, it is easy to lose sight of the end goal but I use positive words to encourage myself to continue moving for God’s glory and to use my life to best advance His kingdom. Some days are infinitely harder than others so without Christ as the Rock, it will be impossible.
I believe it is possible to steer our lives in a positive direction with our words. Although like the passage was alluding to, we are not necessarily the one who is directing ourselves. Our words and our mindset are instrumental in this regard. But ultimately the guideline I use for my life is from Proverbs 16:9 and understanding that no matter how we plan our course, it is the Lord who determines our steps.
Speaking before I THINK can get me in trouble, can come out the wrong way(too aggressive and no compassion) lead to misunderstanding, and might even be hurtful towards someone. Today and throughout my week I pray that God guide my words in kindness to speak with His love, and wisdom. Most importantly to take a minute before I speak, ask myself:
Is it Truthful? Is it Helpful? Is it Inspiring (uplifting)? Is it Necessary? Is it Kind?
Have a good day.
(from Alan)
Hi everyone, how is everyone doing today? So I tried to totally captain my ship and kinda tuned out god for a long period of my life and I went to dark places. Even though I was the captain of my ship I still didn’t have a purpose or destination , I was very lost at sea for a long long time. And since 6 months and some change ago I finally let god in my life again and he has charted a course for me. God is good all the time ! Not sure if this is how I’m suppose to do this so please forgive me if I’m way off. Thanks and have a good day!!
It is absolutely possible to use my words to steer my life in a positive direction. The T.H.I.N.K principles help me a lot in understanding what the right words could be because T.H.I.N.K is more than just “think”. By consistently reminding myself to apply t by is test before speaking, I can ensure that my words are thoughtful, uplifting, and contribute to a positive direction in my life.