In TobyMac’s song “Speak Life,” he inspires his listeners to: “Lift your head a little higher/ Spread the love like fire/ Hope will fall like rain/ When you speak life with the words you say.”
As this song poignantly shows, our words have power. We can speak words of love, hope, and life to others, encouraging people who are hurting or struggling. Conversely, we can also use our words to speak death and hate.
Not only should we consider how we speak to others, but we also need to carefully examine the message of our words when talking to others. If we want to speak life into a broken world, we cannot settle for flowery words of goodwill.
People need a message of hope that can transform their shattered and painful lives into something meaningful and beautiful. They need the good news of Jesus Christ, the only message that can change their lives forever.
A Message of Hope and Life
Today, people around the world are hurting and disillusioned with the false promises of peace that society and media offer. Individuals are struggling to find meaning and spirituality in hollow philosophies and religions. We need a Savior who can free us from our pain. Gratefully, we have Jesus who offers us hope and a new life.
First, Jesus frees us from the bondage of sin and death. All people are held captive to sin and can do nothing to free themselves from slavery (John 8:34; Romans 6:20). Even the good we try to do is useless to break our bondage (Isaiah 64:6; Ephesians 2:1).
However, Jesus came down from heaven and took on human flesh so that He could die in place of sinful humans (Philippians 2:6-8; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Christ set us free from sin since “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14, NLT).
Not only are we set free from sin because of Jesus, but He also gives us a new life when we place our faith in His death and resurrection. Scripture tells us that “if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Our past life of sin has no hold on us anymore because the Holy Spirit enters us at salvation, giving us a spiritual new birth (John 3:7-8; Titus 3:5). Now, we can live for Christ and make a difference in the world (Ephesians 2:10).
Finally, the new life we receive in Christ is only the beginning. Christians have the hope of a wonderful eternity with their Lord and Savior. The Bible encourages us that when we die, we will be with the Lord (2 Corinthians 5:8).
In addition, we also look forward to the renewal of all things when we will dwell with God in the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:3). On that day, suffering, death, and sorrow will end when the Lord wipes away all our tears (Revelation 21:4).
Death is not the end for the believer since Christ is the Resurrection and Life and He promises that “the one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
Therefore, telling others about Jesus is the best way to speak life into this broken world. Only Christ can free people from sin, give them a new life, and offer hope of an eternity spent with Him. No other message brings life like the good news of Jesus Christ.
He can take the broken pieces of our life and make them into something new, like a potter crafting a shattered vase into a beautiful piece of art. While the life Jesus offers all people is not easy or comfortable, it does provide hope and purpose.
Combining Words with Action
Believers should speak words of life by telling others the gospel, but we also need to add action to our words. The epistle of James urges us that faith is more than talk. For instance, the Apostle James asks if we see someone in need and say “‘Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,’ but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?” (James 2:16).
Christians often focus either on telling the gospel or meeting the needs of others. However, it should not be an “either-or” question. We should tell the gospel and meet the need. When we see someone starving without proper clothing, we should offer them food and clothing while telling them the good news of Jesus.
The Apostle John also spoke of our need to love with words and action when he wrote, “Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions” (1 John 3:18, NLT). Scripture spurs us to show our love in numerous ways.
We are told to help the poor (Proverbs 14:31; Luke 12:33); assist orphans and widows (James 1:27); feed the hungry (Isaiah 58:10; Matthew 25:35); clothe the naked (Matthew 25:36); visit those in prison (Matthew 25:36; Hebrews 13:3); act honestly in our business dealings with others (Proverbs 11:1); love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31), and seek to do good to all people (Galatians 6:10).
By taking part in these actions, we are not trying to earn grace. Instead, we are serving our Lord from a place of love (Matthew 25:40; Mark 12:30-31; John 14:15).
As Christians, we have a radical and world-transforming message that needs to be supported by a life lived in love toward God and people. If we neglect the needs of people in this broken world, they will not listen to our message.
Thus, we must obey the words of our Savior by showing others we are His disciples through our love for others (John 13:35). Once we are living authentic lives by “practicing what we preach,” people will listen to the wonderful news of Jesus.
Use Creativity
While the gospel is unchanging, we can tell it using different methods. Every Christian has their own unique set of traits and talents they can use to spread the message of hope and life in Jesus. We should harness the diverse ways we are creative to speak life into the brokenness around us.
For instance, a believer who loves painting or drawing could use their art to point people to Christ. Artwork, whether in a gallery or as a mural on the side of a building, invites discussion. Christian artists can take advantage of this discourse to speak words of hope.
They may even find opportunities to personally share their faith with people they may not otherwise meet.
Creativity is not just for artsy people. A stay-at-home mom may seize an opportunity to open her home to others for a meal and impromptu Bible study. A Christian business person could find himself traveling around the world and use this chance to creatively serve others and share the gospel with various people on his trips.
Furthermore, a university professor may seek to connect with his or her students to impact them for Christ. Whatever the situation, believers can offer words of life to others through their attitude of love and message of hope.
We Can Impact the World
Brokenness is all around us, but we have the power to impact the world. Armed with the good news of Jesus, who offers freedom from sin and the hope of a new life, we can speak life into those who are hurting.
Adding action to our words makes our message more genuine, as we demonstrate the love of Christ to others. In addition, we should seek out opportunities for creativity in sharing the life-changing news of the gospel.
As we seek to transform the brokenness around us, may we find encouragement from Scripture: “How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the messenger who brings good news, the good news of peace and salvation” (Isaiah 52:7, NLT).
For further reading:
How Does God Restore Your Soul When You Feel Broken?
What Does it Mean That ‘Life and Death Are in the Power of the Tongue’?
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