Pamphlet or Encyclopedia

A young boy sits at the table staring down at the words on the page; the words seem all jumbled and they don’t make sense to him. As he tries his best to understand the words, his father smacks the back of his head while calling him “dumb” and “stupid” and saying “you will never be anything”. The boy becomes very discouraged and drops out of school before completing the ninth grade. His father’s words plague him into adulthood. He struggles with self-doubt and he fears that he will never amount to anything. Not until the boy becomes a man does he realize he is not dumb, but has a developmental reading disorder called dyslexia. Dyslexia is a condition where the brain does not properly recognize and process certain symbols; it has nothing to do with one’s intelligence. Even though the words of his father still sometimes invade the man's mind, he has been able to overcome the negative words spoken to him as a child through learning who he is in Christ. He grew up to be a man who strives to be an encourager and to speak positive about others.

I know all too well the impact words can have on one’s perception of themselves; the above story is about my husband. Death and life are in the power of the tongue. (Proverbs 18:21) Our words are so powerful; they carry a life giving force or a destructive force. It is our choice if we want to be an encourager or a discourager; this includes conversations we have with ourselves. As Christians we should be speaking life giving words to others and to ourselves. Words that discourage or tear down are filled with hate. If we claim to be born again Christians and are filled with the love of Jesus, so our words should reflect that love.

In Malachi 3:16 we read that God listens, hears and records in a book of remembrance the words that we speak that honor His name.

^“Then those who feared the Lord talked often one to another; and the Lord listened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him of those who reverenced and worshipfully feared the Lord and who thought on His name.” Malachi 3:16 AMP

Every encouraging and uplifting word you speak is being recorded! This has made me examine what I am saying and thinking. Will my pleasing conversations be contained in only a pamphlet or a set of Encyclopedias? Determine to speak what is pleasing to God; let your “book of remembrance” be larger than a set of Encyclopedias. For those that honor God, He will publically recognize and openly declare them to be His jewel.

“And they shall be Mine, says the Lord of hosts, in that day when I publicly recognize and openly declare them to be My jewels (My special possession, My peculiar treasure). And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son who serves him.” Malachi 3:17 AMP

Michelle Odom
Michelle is an Ordained Minister through United Christian Fellowship and co-founder with her husband, John, of MJ Ministries, a “Practical Evangelism” ministry expressing the Gospel through action. MJ Ministries is dedicated to revealing God’s love through the practice of hospitality using our God given gifts, talents and resources. We are challenged to Engage others in the pursuit of Jesus, Encourage others to realize their potential in Jesus, and Empower others to have influence for Jesus. “Mission Possible” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God” Mark 10:27