Chapter 1: Fountain
or Brook
Recently my husband, Jack, and I spent four hours with
friends we hadn't seen in years. My one
attempt to find out what was really happening in their lives met with
resistance. So we had a lovely meal,
pleasant words, and a casual hug before we parted. Inside I was sick. The shallowness grieved me, in part because
they wanted it that way.
But I have some friends who never talk trivia. The minute we get together, we plunge into
the deep well of refreshing, stimulating conversation -- usually about what God
is doing in our lives or about things we are struggling with.
What a joy to be with them.
I look forward eagerly to our times together. Those friends have become to me "fountains
of life." They refresh my sprit, challenge
my thinking, and glorify God.
The difference in these friends is in their hearts. God tells us, "Out of the abundance of
the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew
12:34). When our minds dwell on surface issues we talk of surface issues. When our thoughts are mostly on problems,
clothes, jobs or other daily concerns, that's what we talk about. When we dwell deep with God, we will be -- to
some people sometimes -- a fountain of life.
Oh, don't let me intimate you. Of course there is a place
for small talk. Of course we'll discuss
news and football games and our latest vacation. But is that all we talk about?
……
Read Proverbs 10:11 and 20, make a note about how these Proverbs inform your understanding of how important words are? Now write Proverbs 10:11 and 20 in your own words. What does it mean to be a fountain of life?
……
How can we as people be worth listening to? By letting our lives be filled with God
Himself. It's easy to write those words
but difficult to do them. And, of course, it is impossible without God. He
cannot be the "God out there" for you. He wants and needs be the God in you, a
Person who claims a vital, deep , consuming place in your life.
……
Think back over the week,
were you a babbling brook or a well of wisdom? Why did you answer that
way?
……
The first steps in letting God fill your life is inviting
Him, in the Person of Christ, to come into your life. But some invite Him in and relegate Him
to corner of their heart. In order to have speech controlled by God, we
must have lives controlled by God. He
must fill us full.
The how of being people worth listening to is by letting our
lives be filled with God Himself.
The why of being people worth listening to is because we are
His and He wants us to radiate Him.
When? Continually.
What should we talk about? Besides speaking of the Lord
Himself, the list from Scripture includes the following:
……
Praise: Read Psalm 35. In this Psalm, what is David struggling
with? Even in trials, what will David's
speech focus on? How successful are you
with praise in your life? When is it
easier to praise, when things are going well or things are hard? How did David respond to challenges in his
life?
The Word of God: Read Deuteronomy 6:4-8. How present is the "Word of God" in
your life? How much does the Word affect
your speech? List all the places that we
are instructed to talk about the Word.
Where else is the word to be seen (verses 8-9)? Give some specific ways you might respond to
this passage in your life?
Encouragement and comfort:
Read 1st Thessalonians 2:7-12. How did
the apostles show their care for the Thessalonicans? What purpose did words serve for the apostles
(vs. 11-12)? How do you use words to
encourage and comfort others?
Wisdom and justice: Read Psalm 37:30-31. How does righteousness affect our
speech? What does it mean to you to
speak wisely? To speak justly? What speech do we slip into that is neither
wise nor just?
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