The book "Silent Messages" explains only 7% of what we communicate comes from what we say. 93% of what we communicate comes from what we do. What we do matters!
Jesus said, “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Luke 6:45). It’s almost like this volcanic eruption born from the heart flows like lava right out of the mouth. We’ve all said something we wish you hadn’t before. Sometimes you can keep the lava from coming out of your mouth, but it still flows from your face.
A few weeks ago, I was not feeling well with a double ear infection that was inner and outer and inflamed. It was Sunday morning and it hurt to open my mouth. After I preached that morning I drove across town to a pharmacy that my doctor had called in a prescription to. Arriving I found myself behind 5 cars in the drive-through so I went in. I was delighted to see only one person in front of me with three technicians and three registers going.
Then it happened. Two of the technicians stepped away from the counter and disappeared. The remaining technician peered around the customer she was waiting on and said to me, “This is our last customer for now. We are closed for lunch.” Standing there in pain, I was speechless and didn’t move a muscle trying to process this situation. Finally a man comes from behind the wall and more forcefully explains to me that they will not be waiting on me until after they return from lunch.
Lava was trying to erupt but I held my tongue and walked away. After making a lap I came back and sat down looking at the closed windows praying for the ability to sync my heart, my mouth and my face with God’s Love. The struggle is real but after they opened the shutters I stepped up and politely thanked them for taking care of my needs.
Recently I was washing pans after a family meal and was almost finished with the last pan. Tracy walked by and put her dirty dish in the sink spilling the contents on the pan I had cleaned as I was about to put it aside. I didn’t say anything in that moment, but I did do a self-assessment pondering why I was feeling the way I was feeling. The Bible says to bless those who curse you. If I can’t learn to be gracious to people, I love when I’m slightly inconvenienced how will I ever develop the spiritual fortitude to bless someone who hates me and curses me?
I’m trying to focus on sacrificially loving my five-foot circle as I practice dying to myself so Jesus can live through my sacrifice. Even the face can become a billboard for the Gospel if we discover a deeper place of surrender.
Christianity is more than believing the writings of Scripture. It's embracing the ways of the Savior. It is ineffective to embrace the message of Jesus while we abandon his method of delivering it. 1 Cor 13 says without love everything comes to nothing and then it explains what love looks like in action.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. (AMP)
1 Corinthians 13:8 Love never ends… (AMP)
Love leaves a lasting impact! Students remember teachers who truly loved them. I will always be indebted to Mrs. Chisum, my High School typing teacher who gave me a little extra attention in her classroom. As a student that was pretty problematic throughout my school years, it really did change my life on so many levels just to feel valued by a teacher.
Your greatest ministry will happen on the smallest level.
God’s impact when he became man changed everything about the world. Pay attention to your five-foot circle of influence!
“Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love.” Mother Teresa
Your greatest ministry will happen on the smallest level.
In 1768 a 45-year-old Scottish preacher took charge of a dilapidated school for teenage boys that were very unruly. Over 26 years he devoted himself to just 450 students in total.
That preacher was John Witherspoon That old, broken-down school is now Princeton University. One person really can make a difference! Witherspoon’s humble work as a teacher literally changed the world.
Teachers who invest in students individually awaken them on many levels of learning and life. Studies show that students tend to learn more when they believe their teacher cares for them personally. Students greeted at the classroom door are personally motivated to do better in class improving academic performance. The study revealed that just Greeting the students 2-3 times per week made the difference.
Good teachers teach subjects. Great teachers teach students!
We would all agree that teachers will experience a more fruitful year if they will apply these relational principles in the way they embrace the people that have been entrusted to their care. What we must all realize is that we will all experience e a more fruitful year if we apply these relational principles to the way we embrace the people that have been entrusted to our care. It’s not just about what you say. It’s about what you do because WHAT YOU DO MATTERS!
GP2RL: Be very intentional about loving and preferring others well this week!
