Serve with My Words
BAM! WHAM! SMACK! My Switched-On-Schoolhouse health class today, entitled "Speaking in Love", just hit me with a spiritual epiphany. Now, I already know all this, but it just hit me really strongly today. Especially as I think about and prepare for going to Nicaragua and doing Operation St. Cloud again. It just kind've hit me... I can serve the Place of Hope staff and the leaders of the Nicaraguan church not just by my actions, but by my words. Here's and excerpt from my lesson:
Every social interaction is an opportunity for service and ministry, including conversations that you might have with adults. As with friends, listening is the first step in speaking the truth in love. Listening to adults is a demonstration of your respect for them. Addressing adults in a formal way such as "Sir" or "Ma'am" is another way to communicate your respect.
As a young missionary, Timothy was expected to speak the truth in love to people that were much older than himself. To encourage Timothy in his ministry, both public and private, Paul wrote, Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:12) In other words, being young is not an excuse to be spiritually lazy. Young or old, Christians are called to communicate in love and truth to everyone.
I am so excited to have these opportunities to serve and minister to those who don't know God, and also those who do!
Every social interaction is an opportunity for service and ministry, including conversations that you might have with adults. As with friends, listening is the first step in speaking the truth in love. Listening to adults is a demonstration of your respect for them. Addressing adults in a formal way such as "Sir" or "Ma'am" is another way to communicate your respect.
As a young missionary, Timothy was expected to speak the truth in love to people that were much older than himself. To encourage Timothy in his ministry, both public and private, Paul wrote, Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe. (1 Timothy 4:12) In other words, being young is not an excuse to be spiritually lazy. Young or old, Christians are called to communicate in love and truth to everyone.
I am so excited to have these opportunities to serve and minister to those who don't know God, and also those who do!
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