Do you know anyone who has been beaten down by this world? Have YOU been beaten down by this world? Do you feel like you are stuck in the middle rounds of a Rocky Balboa fight? Just taking the beating while hoping to fast forward to the end of the fight where the fabulous comeback begins.

I know I have been there before. You probably have been, too. What’s more, if you have been there and I have been there–that means pretty much everyone has been, is now, or will be there at some point in their lives. It is at that point where an encourager needs to step in.

Much of what we say serves two purposes–it either builds people up or it tears them down. Scripture, in the Book of James, tells us that the tongue cannot be tamed by humans. Boy, I can sure tell you that is true. I try hard to watch what I say, but EVERY day, I say something that I regret. I pray about it, I really think about it…yet then when the opportunity comes to say the right thing or nothing at all I still go ahead and say something that tears people down.

I am trying to become an Ephesians 4:29 type of guy, “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.” The chapter concludes with further instructions in verse 32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ah, there is the grace that I have been writing about the past couple of weeks. The human tongue can’t be tamed, but Jesus can still redeem our words–and our relationships.

So this week our challenge is to be kind in our words, to be compassionate in our words, and to be forgiving in our words. It is difficult, but through Jesus it is possible. Hey, it’s like Rocky said in Rocky IV, “If I can change, and you can change, everybody can change!”

(I bet you never thought I would end an Awaken Ministry blog with a Rocky quote did you?)

More to come…
Jeremy