The Best Word

Words have power. Teen Zine vol. 4 frequently addresses the “ripple effects” caused by our words and actions. In the Bible, James describes the power in our words this way: “….the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark” (James 3:5). James is describing the destructive power of words, but on the flip side, words that encourage and build one another up are also powerful and can cause a “forest fire” of good that spreads to countless people.

That’s the thing about God’s rules he gives us… we are not left solely with the “Thou shall NOTs,” but are given “TO DOs” in their place. So when God tells us in the ninth commandment, “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor,” he doesn’t just leave it at that—which is good because that might mean living with Duct tape across our mouths. Throughout the Bible, we are given ways we can use our words. Here are a few examples:

“Open my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise.” (Psalm 51:15)

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Eph. 4:29)

“....in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” (Phil. 2:3-4)

I can think of countless words that have created good ripple effects in my life, but an instance that stands out was ONE word from my youth leader. We were on a mission trip in Mexico, and for his devotion one evening he went around and gave each person one word… He had prayed for each person that day, and he wanted to share the word that popped in his mind when speaking to the Lord about that person. For me that word was “kind.” Since that moment, I have carried that word with me and tried to live into what he said about me—not as a burden, like I was going to disappoint him in some way, but as a reminder of who I am.

What my youth leader did, seeing me as kind whether I felt that way or not or whether I always carried it out perfectly (I don’t), sounds a little bit like “imputation.” Chapter nine in Teen Zine vol. 4 describes this fancy word like this:

“Imputation is a BIG theological word… but the idea is important. To impute means to imagine the perfect version of another and treat them as such… God pours his grace over us. And now we can see each other in the same light, as humans covered in God’s perfect love.” (p. 238)

This kind of love is not always easy to carry out, especially when some people are more difficult to imagine this way than others. Sometimes our sense of justice is so strong that it takes over, pushing grace to the side. Teen Zine vol. 4 again says,

“We don’t like it when people get away with too much. But in our daily dealings with others, we can trust God to deal with their hearts and try to remember that we receive grace beyond deserving. So what’s the biggie if we share grace with those WE don’t think deserve it?” (p. 239)

Yeah, what’s the biggie? We have nothing to lose! God sent the best Word to us, and his name is Jesus… The ripple effects of his love and mercy never run dry. God gives us a good word to speak to others:we speak Jesus. And when we speak the love of Jesus over, to, or about others, it cannot be “false testimony” because he is the way, the TRUTH, and the life.