If you can't say anything nice...

"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." Ephesians 4:29

Beloved, please allow me to continue on my previous post about the power of our words.

I have been volunteering the past couple weeks at a charter school in Baltimore, MD. I eat lunch with a group of kids on each of four lunch shifts. These students were recommended to me by their teachers. The purpose is to be a mentoring figure in their lives, and to give them "face time", as many of them don't receive much attention from influential adults. Often, the only attention they get at home is bad.



I love all my mentor groups, but my fourth grade boys are particularly special. One of them seemed a little standoff-ish when I first met him, but immediately opened up when he started talking about Animal Planet. This kid loves animals. His face lights up when he talks about it. He especially likes tigers and lions. I really enjoy my time with him.

Yesterday, however, he was having a bad day. He barely said anything. I learned from the other boys that he'd had his recess taken away from him for being absent from school. Now, first of all, I don't understand that. In elementary school, is it not the parents' job to get their child on the bus?! How can a ten year old boy be expected to take himself faithfully to school every day? This punishment is not just.

Then I listened while he told me that he wanted to go home, that he was never coming back, and he was going to drop out tomorrow. He continued that he would run away, because he was "a bad boy anyway", and would end up in jail forever.

He didn't get this idea all on his own. I am convinced that he's heard that he's "just a bad kid" enough times in his life that now he believes it. I see him, and other kids in similar positions, being constantly labeled as "bad". Here is another example of how we have a part in someone's destiny by speaking it over them.

Your words have great influence over others, whether you like it or not. Please, take a minute to think about how you have used your words recently, whether for building others up, or for tearing them down. Almost everything you say to other people is a blessing or a curse on them. Don't underestimate the power of, "You can!" With my God, ALL things are possible! [Matt. 19:26, Mark 9:23]

Especially if you're a teacher, principal, mentor, or childcare worker, please try to catch your students doing something right, as often as possible, and let them know you see that in them!