Past the Point of Occasional Positivity

“Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning.”-Mahatma Gandhi

The other Sunday night a parent of one of the youth spoke and his messages was entitled "Hung By The Tongue". He spoke about speaking positively and the power of our words and the effect they have on our minds.

We all start out young and innocent and happy and positive. Things happen and our hearts grow cold and we trade joy for happiness and laughter for sarcasm. So often we live in the negative. "I hate the way this color looks on me.", "If I don't pass this test I will die.", "I'm not feeling good today.", "I wish I didn't have this/these:braces, zit, big project, terrible stage fright."These kind of messages get into our subconscious mind and take root. They are said and expressed and as they leave from your mouth they enter into your life.

"The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences."-Proverbs 18:21

As we were going to school the day after this sermon Mariah said, "Ever notice how sometimes when you say something out loud it makes it worse? Like, if I'm angry at mommy and I'm thinking about how much I hate her at that moment. But, thinking it in my head doesn't have near the same effect as saying 'I hate her.' right out loud. It's the speaking it into existence that just makes it more real and sad. It doesn't make anything better. So, it would be better to rather say 'I'm having a really hard time with her right now.' and not to put the idea of hatred into your mind." I knew she was completely and totally right. Just saying something negative makes it so final and sometimes makes you feel worse that you did before.

When we say positive things though, to ourselves and to others we are confessing the things we say over those lives. Even just making a list of the attributes you can appreciate in a fellow student, or even someone you don't get along with can change how you perceive them as a person. Doesn't that make so much sense? As he spoke and backed up his points with scripture it was just like, "DUH!" This whole idea is so practical and so evident.

He also mentioned a way to look at it: Say you just said, "I'll never get a good grade in this class. It's too hard."

1.Is this what I want? (Of course not!)
2.What do I want? (Well, I'd like to make a really great grade in this class.)
3.Speak those things that you do want! You ultimately always reap what you sew. In actions, in intentions, and in speech. The spoken word is a great tool for communication,unification,and inspiration. It can also be used for degradation, separation, and confusion. Use every word, and every moment with care.

James 3:2-12 ²We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check.

³When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. ⁴Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. ⁵Likewise 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. ⁶The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

⁷All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, ⁸but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

⁹With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. ¹⁰Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. ¹¹Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? ¹²My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

Conclusions and actions: I was thinking over all that had been said, and all the links I had made. One important question came to me: What will people say of me after I am gone? I have often thought this thought. The final goodbye-what would be the imprint and legacy of the life I lead. Other times I just gave up thinking about it. How could I ever know these things? This time though, I thought, there is a way for me to know. I must personify all the qualities I would want to be remembered by; all those adjectives that I want more than anything to sum up the person I am and all I tried to accomplish.Each day I must live like my last, and live like each second counts. Not only counts by other people's standards, but by God's as well. These are the ones I found:
-Kind
-Compassionate
-Encouraging
-Loving
-Godly
-Patient
-Peaceful
-Giving

Thank you for listening.