Small Things, Big Impact Part 3 – Words

It’s often the small things that no one sees that result in the big things that everyone wants.  We have to understand that it’s often the small things in our lives that no one else sees that make all the big difference in the things that everyone else wants. THOUGHTS influence our WORDS, our WORDS influence our ACTIONS, our ACTIONS become our HABITS and our HABITS create our DESTINY.  It’s the small things that impact our life in a big way.

Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences (NLT).”  What kind of power does the tongue have?  The tongue has the power of life and of death. In other words, the words that we speak, can be LIFE-GIVING words or LIFE-TAKING words.

 If you want to change the life you have, you need to change the words you speak.  Small things, like the words that we speak, can make a big difference in the life that we live.  James 3:5 said, “5 In the same way, the tongue is a small thing that makes grand speeches. But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.(NLT).” James, the brother of Jesus, talked about how small things can make a big impact.  In other words, a well-crafted speech can move a crowd to do massively good things.  The opposite is true as well.  “But a tiny spark can set a great forest on fire.”  There is POWER of LIFE and DEATH in our WORDS.  You can speak life-giving words or life-taking words.

If you are around people who make you feel small and unimportant, if you have a boss that drives you crazy, what you’ll find is an abundance of life-taking words.  On the other hand, there’s someone that you love to be around, they build you up, what you’re going to see is plenty of life-giving words.  Proverbs 12:18 – “Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing (NLT).”

TWO VERY POWERFUL RULES about life-giving words:

 If you CANNOT say something HELPFUL.  Don’t say anything at all.

 If you can’t say something NICE, don’t say anything at all.  The Apostle Paul said it this way in Ephesians 4:29, “Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them (NLT).”

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only the kind of talk that is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Some of you, if you just applied this one verse to your life, to your marriage, to your parenting, to your work relationships, to your friendships, then your whole time at church today is incredibly worthwhile.

 If you think something GOOD, say it

Proverbs 16:24 says, “Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body (NLT).” Notice Solomon did not say, “Kind thoughts are like a honeycomb.”  What did he say?  “Kind words,” not thoughts.

 When you think of something good, send a text, post the comment, pick up the phone and call them.  Say the words or write a letter or give some encouraging notes. You want to change your relationships? Every time you think something good, say it.  Make it a rule.  Don’t ever hold a BLESSING back.  Why rob anyone else from a blessing of giving them life?  Every time you think it, say it. And not just to other people, but say it to yourself.  Because, if you look at your word audit, many of you are saying very negative things to yourself.  You’re speaking life-taking words to yourself.

King David one time experienced worrying that he will be stoned to death, so he spoke life-giving words to himself.  1 Samuel 30:6b – “…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God (KJV).” Every now and then, you just have to speak to yourself and encourage yourself with words of life and affirmation, encouraging yourself, not just that you can do  it, but that God can do it through you.  Encourage yourself in the things of the Lord.

 If you want to SEE it, SAY it.

You say what you want to see. In Ezekiel, God said in Ezekiel 37:4-5, “4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the Lord! 5 This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again!”

If you want to change your WORLD, change your WORDS.  If you want to make a big difference in the way you live, make a small change in the words that you speak.  Because there’s power in our words.

Deuteronomy 28:6-8 – “6 Wherever you go and whatever you do, you will be blessed. 7 “The Lord will conquer your enemies when they attack you. They will attack you from one direction, but they will scatter from you in seven! 8 “The Lord will guarantee a blessing on everything you do and will fill your storehouses with grain. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.” (NLT)