I'm not a fan of boats I don't like being on them and I have a fear of them tipping over when I'm on them. That fear has no bearing on the fact that I can swim proficiently. But I do know a few things about boats. Not a whole lot but some. They leave a thing called a wake a partially triangular shape behind them in the water left by their passage. That being said brings me to this passage in Acts 20 that caught my attention. If you want to kind of ketchup I mean catch up there had previously been a riot in the city of Ephesus because these local merchants got mad at Paul for preaching the gospel and allegedly ruining their idol worship and sales. After all is calmed down I want you to notice something. Paul leaves something of value in his "wake" and if you read quickly you miss it because I did myself. It seems like ok so he visits some places we have trouble pronouncing. Now like the Xandarnian World Mind would say to the superhero Nova "Richard Rider it is critical that you pay attention at this time." So pay attention! Acts 20:1-2. "When the uproar was over, Paul sent for the believers and encouraged them, then he said goodbye and left for Macedonia. While there, he encouraged the believers in all the towns he passed through. Then travelled down to Greece." Did you see his "Wake"? Think of Paul as a boat and with his passage through these towns he's leaving encouragement. Are you leaving such a wake?
Recently I worked in Ingleside after hurricane Harvey. After you left Taft, Tx you began to see utter devastation. Houses and trees just obliterated. My gps got me lost and on different routes coming and going every day. On about my second to last day I went down McCampbell road. I was literally dodging tree limbs littering this road. But one of the strangest things I saw was the roof. Let me explain here because even my feeble word picture will not do this justice. There was a guardhouse at my work site and it sat near two huge spheres containing gas and other dangerous material. This guardhouse I was told had been built to be blast and gas proof. One category 4 hurricane comes through and hits this blast proof building and rips the roof right off and wrapped it around a metal pole. The pole was still pointing up and down like nothing happened. I say all that for this reason. Paul left encouragement in his "wake". Harvey not so much. You have a choice each moment with your words and actions what kind of wake are you leaving? Are the people you encounter leaving better for having been in your wake?
I want to give you some verses to help you.
Proverbs 10:19-21 "Too much talk leads to sin. Be sensible and keep your mouth shut. The words of the godly are like sterling silver; the heart of a fool is worthless. The words of the godly encourage many, but fools are destroyed by their lack of common sense."
Proverbs 18:21 "The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."
Ephesians 5:15-20. "So be careful how you live. Don't live like fools but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead be filled with the Holy Spirit singing Psalms hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
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."
Galatians 6:9-10.
"So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up. Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone--especially to those in the family of faith."
Hopefully with all this I have left a wake of encouragement for you the reader. May it be that when people encounter you they are left the better for it and not left with a trail of devastation.
Should you want extra reading because The impact of words is mentioned a lot here. a few years back I wrote a story in one night called Why am I not memorable. The story deals with the effects your words can have on others if used poorly. Just a heads up the story is probably rated pg13.
|
|
|
|
|
|
No comments:
Post a Comment