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Our Example
While reading this book, you should have your Bible available. You will need it to complement your study of the conveyed scriptures. It will also be helpful for you to read the entire chapter of the duplicated scriptures. By doing this, you will gain a better understanding of the principles and the context in which they are presented.
God's Word is essential to your life and your eternity. You should learn His word in your heart or, at least, in your mind. Because our Lord blesses His word, you will receive and be the blessing.
"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love." John 15:10
Only one standard is sanctioned in the presence of God. That standard is Jesus Christ. Through Jesus Christ alone, we have access to our Father and His ways. Jesus, God's Holy Standard, is our living example.
Throughout this book, Jesus stands as model and answer to any of our questions. Whether we study Him in the Old Testament or in the New, He is the same One. His ways are perfect, and He knows the inner thoughts of our Father.
Here, you will read words that describe the Lord's ways. His ways should direct us through our daily lives. His ways should guide us along His path. When we learn and follow the Lord's ways, we are able to prosper in the workplace.
"For even hereunto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered, he threatened not: but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed." I Peter 2:21-24
"Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Matthew 16:24
Read again 1 Peter 2:21 and ponder the word suffered. We know Christ suffered on the Cross. His suffering, however, began before and extends beyond the Cross. Pain and death were only part of His suffering. Try to understand what this means. The word suffered depicts more than pain. Today, Christ also suffers or endures our sins, yet because of His love, He forgives us and gives eternal life. He is long-suffering towards us. Because of this, He also extends mercy to us.
Christ has always given. In His giving, He gives all that He is. Jesus lived and gave even before His conception in a virgin's womb. He was giving before the beginning of the world. Yes, before living as a man, Jesus reigned on the throne of God. Jesus Christ is eternal and sovereign. His sovereignty causes Him to always place others before Himself.
"That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before the works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass about the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the fountains of the earth; Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." Proverbs 8:21-31
After the Cross, God found the blood of Jesus Christ to be sinless. When Christ's blood was judged on God's alter, the Lord declared Him innocent. He is the Perfect Sacrifice. Therefore, in the Lord's plan of salvation, Christ's blood has eternal value both to God and man.
Through His Son's blood, the Lord redeems lost sheep. Jesus is the price for each one. The Lord deemed it so, because a wayward sheep cannot find or redeem itself. A lost sheep knows exactly where its feet stand, but it cannot picture its position in the overall landscape. This is because sins blur the vision of a lost sheep. Therefore, a lost sheep knows only itself and its circumstances, nothing else. Jesus, however, has all knowledge. Through His blood, Christ redeems His lost sheep.
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16
"And Isaac spake to Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood; but where is the lamb for a burnt-offering? And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering: so they went both of them together." Genesis 22:7-8
"God will provide himself a lamb." Did you notice the significance of these words when you read them? God gave Himself as a lamb for the redemption of Sin. The Lord became the Holy Sacrifice necessary to redeem His lost sheep. The Lord did this through His only begotten Son. Begotten means: one who came forth. Jesus came from God. The Lord created us.
To strengthen His Son, The Lamb, the Lord gave Him a cup. From that cup, understanding flows. Christ always drank from the cup. All those in Christ may drink from it. The cup, spoken of by Christ, is the Lord Himself. To have understanding of God's ways, we must drink from the same cup as Jesus did. God's understanding teaches us how to speak and how to conduct our lives in the workplace. If we rely on our own strength and wisdom, we bind ourselves to certain failure.
"But Jesus said unto them, Ye know not what ye ask: can ye drink of the cup that I drink of? and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? And they said unto him, we can. And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am baptized withal shall ye be baptized: But to sit on my right hand and on my left hand is not mine to give; but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared." Mark 10:38-40
Imagine a summer's day, and the sun is shining brightly. As you stand at the edge of a field, you see a fruit tree. It could be an apple, peach or pear tree. For a moment, allow your eyes to study the features of the tree: roots, trunk, branches, leaves and fruit. Each part has a clear-cut purpose. Fortunately for us, the fruit is for nourishment. We can pick the fruit if we reach out to the end of a branch.
As we go through this book, the reading will follow the path of your eye when it scanned the imaginary tree. At times, we will reach out to the end of a branch to pick fruit. Our harvest is the understanding of God's ways. The more we learn about the ways of Christ: the more we realize the smallness of our understanding. Learning His ways and walking in them develops spiritual freedom within us.
"And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." I Corinthians 8:2
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
When we ignore responsibilities, guilt arises and grows within our hearts. The guilt slowly changes to anger and pushes us down under its weight. If slightly shaken in the workplace, this anger spills over the edge. We then become targets for fiery darts. When we cling to our righteousness and work sluggishly, the same condition develops. It leads to accusations of hypocrisy. When we understand and follow the Lord's ways, they prevent or even extinguish the smoldering guilt. With the guilt eradicated, we can have peace in the workplace. Lies are the thorns of hypocrisy; truth is the Lily of Righteousness.
Some people attempt to serve Christ in church. Afterwards, they serve man in the workplace. Momentarily, at church, they cast-off their guilt. In the workplace, they behave as their boss expects, even to the point of damaging their souls. This life-style provides their wants. They want spiritual blessings from church and material blessings from work. They lead two separate lives. These people never learn to serve God and man at the same time.
In Nazareth, Christ fully served our Father, while He admirably worked for His living. He served just as faithfully during His ministry when He broke bread with prostitutes, extortionists, and other unnamed disreputables. The outcasts were the same then as now. Why, Mary Magdalene, a woman of unsavory name, traveled with His ministry. His disciples were liars, cowards, thieves, egotists, and so forth. The Bible records this about Peter, John, James and Judas (Matthew 26:72, Mark 3:17, Mark 16:8 and John 12:4). Jesus lead a ministry filled with troubled ingredients, yet He was untarnished before God.
Jesus was a Rabbi, a teacher of God's word; He was a leader in the community. How could He justify being "I AM THAT I AM" and allow His followers to cause Him this ghastly, public image? How could Jesus equally serve our Father and man by being in the middle of sinfulness and disgrace? Through half truths and gossip, people labeled Jesus a glutton, an alcoholic, and a friend of sinners. Malicious gossip spread across Israel like a wildfire, when it engulfs grassland.
"The Son of man is come eating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and sinners!" Luke 7:34
How to serve God and man is one of the mysteries in Christ. Jesus said we could not serve two masters and satisfy either. How then can we do it? How do we equally serve God as we work for The Man?
We are to serve Jesus because He is our God, while we work for man as though it were for Christ. This principle is simple. Its doing requires understanding.
Christ gives the understanding. He is the bridge between God and man. When we are in Christ, we become a part of God's bridge between Him and man. We help support the well being of others.
"But if any man love God, the same is known of him." I Corinthians 8:3
In the scriptures, the Lord defined the word understanding. He said it was departing from evil. To have understanding knowing the will of our Lord and acting on it we must be ready to hear Christ, to do Christ, and to teach Christ. We accomplish this by the way we live our lives. Our lives are what others see in and of us as we go about our daily work. It all begins by acknowledging Christ first and then following in His steps. Hearing God's words and obeying them is being in Christ.
We can readily give ourselves only when we are willing to do for others. When we give ourselves, we have the correct spirit before God. All things must be in order; first things must be first. To pull the plow, the horse must be in front. We must be willing to do before we can have understanding. Read what God said about His prophet, Ezra. Ezra was ready. After he understood, the Lord used Ezra to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem.
"And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding." Job 28:28
"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach Israel statutes and judgements." Ezra 7:10
Jesus Christ fears our Lord. He reverences our Lord and walks our Father's path. Therefore, Jesus has understanding. He fulfilled the law of God: peace, love and joy because He is God, and He was man. His sight is always on our Father. He always does as our Father says. Jesus Christ chooses correctly in everything He does. From among creation angels included Jesus alone does this. When in Christ, we choose correctly.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God." John 1:1
"And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." John 1:14
Jesus Christ is Lord. Jesus Christ is also Servant. Christ was never a slave, yet He is always a servant. Slave and servant are opposites. A slave is bound by shackles. Weights of grief hang from him. A servant is free. Light overflows him. A servant's life is serving.
Our Father sees us as servants. A father is ever watchful over his children, and he purposely guides them through their unforeseen difficulties. Grace and love abound on a servant of Christ even if rumors crackle as a wildfire.
"And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them: and they exercise authority upon them that are called benefactors. But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that does serve. For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth." Luke 22:25-27
"So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many are called, but few chosen." Matthew 20:16
Most cultures easily understand the servant point of view. In the West, however, the thought of being a servant is offensive. Our society teaches us to be masters, independent, self-sufficient, upright, bold and strong. Through their prompting, our peers throw fuel on our desires of greatness. These flaming desires sear our conscience and blind our judgement. At this point, we selfishly justify our actions as we run to secure another materialistic vanity in the hope of filling the void in our lives.
The Lord, on the other hand, is humble, meek, and of low spirit. His Spirit is merciful, patient and long-suffering. Be careful with these words. Their meanings may vary from your current understanding. Other spiritual words also might have unfamiliar definitions. They may be different from what you have heard or in the light God said them. What you accepted as truth may be contrary to the ways of God Almighty. For now, remember what you read. Look at these words. They describe what Christ offers to us. The ways of Christ are easy.
"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. for my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30
"For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah 57:15
God's words are eternal. We have evidence of this because His laws continue to recur in our lives and among our nations.
What our Lord said in the beginning still stands today. His words will hold true to the end. You have heard statements like these before. Perhaps, they never settled in your mind.
I know the concept of God's words being eternal is difficult to understand. God's principles apply to everyone and every nation. How we regard God's laws in our hearts determine the blessings or cursings for us and our nations. Jesus Christ is the Word of God. Neither the Lord nor His word ever changes.
"Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever." Hebrews 13:8
"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life." 1 John 5:20
God's law is eternal, and so is His grace. We must learn the elements and extremes of law and grace. Knowing them will give added insight in the workplace. May this book guide your discernment in knowing the vastness between them.
I can tell you about God's laws and prosperity when you apply them correctly. You must find the path, by faith, leading to grace. These comparisons will help you to distinguish between law and grace. Law repays our deeds. Grace swells our faith. Law is a balance, one weight for one measure. Grace is a gift, one man for all Sin. Law is the Taskmaster; he points our direction. Grace is the Comforter; He guides our steps. Law is for man, but grace is for Sin. Law demands judgement. Grace gives mercy. Law rules man's works. Grace rests men's souls. The Lord gave His word, so man, through law, could work. The Lord gave His Son, so men, through grace, could rest.
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:8-10
The Lord gave us two great commandments. He also said that all other statutes, laws and commandments sprang from these two. This means every principle, by which we govern, grew from these two commandments. The first commandment is towards God. The second is towards man. Together, hope is still in this world.
"Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40
The Ten Commandments exhibit this same pattern. The first five are to God. The second five are to man. This same thread is interwoven throughout the Bible. By doing for either, we have done for the other. Therefore, we know our service to God is by our service to man and vice versa. We cannot do for God and leave man unaffected. When we serve God, we serve man.
When we resist man, we resist God. Where do you stand in relation to your employer? Do you serve him or resist him? You have heard the Ten Commandments. Have you read them as they are in the Bible?
"And God spake all these words, saying, I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and forth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thy labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, nor thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's." Exodus 20:1-17
Now, we need to go out to the end of a branch for a piece of fruit. I want to explain how to keep the law of God. With man, this is impossible. With God, all things are possible. The keeping of God's law is only possible by following His ways of grace and love. When in Christ, we walk His path.
"And Jesus looking upon them saith, With men it is impossible, but not with God: for with God all things are possible." Mark 10:27
I am going to talk about choosing correctly. When we learn to choose correctly, it affects all our decisions. This example applies to any decision in the workplace. Choosing correctly is always a serious matter, and not to be taken lightly. A word of advice..., after the test of time, today's choice might prove to be incorrect. We lack foresight into the future. So did the children of Israel; however, they had to choose.
Thinking they were right, they made an obvious choice. At first, as most decisions, Israel thought they had chosen correctly. Later, their lives proved them wrong. Israel made the wrong choice. You will see what I am showing you. To prosper in the workplace, you need this understanding. Now, you take the test. Make your best choice as you read the following scriptures.
"For this commandment which I command thee this day, it is not hidden from thee, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go up for us to heaven, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? Neither is it beyond the sea, that thou shouldest say, Who shall go over the sea for us, and bring it unto us, that we may hear it, and do it? But the word is very nigh unto thee, in thy mouth, and in thy heart, that thou mayest do it. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; In that I command thee this day to love the LORD thy God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commandments and his statutes and his judgements, that thou mayest live and multiply: and the LORD thy God shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it. But if thine heart turn away, so that thou wilt not hear, but shalt be drawn away, and worship other gods, and serve them; I denounce unto you this day, that ye shall surely perish, and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land, whither thou passest over Jordan to go to possess it. I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob to give them." Deuteronomy 30:11-20
Have you chosen? Did you choose correctly? How do you know? Let us examine your choice. The Lord proclaimed a commandment to the children of Israel. He set before them both blessing and cursing. The Lord told them to choose. As most do, they chose blessings. Nevertheless, they failed miserably in their choice. How did you choose? Through deduction, you would have rejected the cursing. No one in his right mind wants a curse. Did you choose the blessing?
You have already read enough of this book to know that you should have chosen other than the blessing or the cursing. Let me explain how you should have chosen.
The Lord was standing before Israel and held both blessing and cursing. At that time, He proclaimed good and evil to them. As Israel was looking at His hands, each filled with either good or evil, He said to them, "In that I command thee this day to love the Lord thy God, to walk in his ways." The Lord wanted Israel to choose correctly. Israel missed God's choice when they chose the blessing.
As it was with them, so it is with us. We go about our daily activities thinking our decisions are praiseworthy. We consciously choose right instead of wrong. All day long, we make choices as we divide right from wrong. We think or guess our decisions are right. Inwardly, we smile at our accomplishments and earthly wisdom. So why was it wrong to choose the blessings?
Have you already seen the perfect decision and the perfect choice? The Lord stood before Israel with blessing in one hand and cursing in the other. Friend, the Lord stood among the choices. He, too, was a choice. Israel had three choices, not two. Oh why did they choose the blessing? Why, because Israel's heart was on themselves; they were looking at gain. They wanted blessings, meager things. They were thinking about what they could get. They were concerned with themselves. Their thinking was short-range and temporal. Self was at the center of their hearts. Temporal man never changes.
The same happens when one chooses Heaven to escape Hell, instead of choosing the Maker of both. If out of fear one chooses Heaven to flee the fires of Hell, he remains on the path to Hell because self rejected the Creator of both.
"No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon." Matthew 6:24
What! You think the Lord deceived poor Israel? Take another look at Deuteronomy 30:11-20. God knew their hearts. He said the word was in their mouth. In advance, He told them to love the Lord with all their hearts. If you choose anything other than God, how can you love the Lord with all your heart? Choosing anything other than the Lord is idolatry. Jesus understood this. He always chose His Father even when it took Him to the Cross. God never tempted anyone, but His wisdom is above ours.
"Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death. Do not err, my beloved brethren." James 1:13-16
What looks like a blessing may turn out to be a curse. In your life, perhaps you have learned this by now. Today's vibrant love can fade into tomorrow's numbing hate, or a small curse can blossom forth into a fruitful blessing. Have you ever had these events happen in your life? Our wisdom is nothing when compared with the wisdom of the Lord. Do you think anyone can out-smart Him? Always choose the Lord. He will choose correctly for you.
This same principle occurs at salvation. When we realize our lives are wrong and seek relief, we choose Christ. At that time, we prefer Christ over all else. God's word is eternal. The same applies after salvation with each choice we make. Do you still remember the day the Lord saved you?
"For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the LORD; and whether we die, we die unto the LORD: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the LORD's. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be LORD both of the dead and living." Romans 14:8-9
Neither the blessing nor the curse were of the Lord. Both were only tools in His hands. They are tools to bring about His will in heaven and earth. The Lord declared His will through His Word. His will is that we become more like His Son.
For our good, God uses His tools to bring about our Christ likeness. Commit your whole life to Christ, and see Him keep the two great commandments for you. Your commitment includes loving the Lord with all your being and loving your neighbor the same as you love yourself. Choose the Lord, never His tools.
Man, in his tarnished glory, is a creature of habit. One of his habits is collecting the mannerisms of those he honors. From time to time, each of us discover ourselves saying the same phrases and acting like the ones we admire. Think about it for a moment. You will see this is true.
When we love someone, we want to spend time with them. When we do, we adopt their characteristics. The simplest illustration of this is a child imitating his parents. The Lord's children act the same as they learn His ways. The child, who spends time with our Father, learns from the Lord and follows His ways. We cannot be near Christ without His ways becoming a part of us. The same applies to a person spending time with devils. People learn to think like the ones they honor, and they speak what they learn.
In the workplace, the most important lesson we can learn is how to communicate. Communication is more than verbal noise and gestures. Correct communication requires intent listening and articulate speech. Understanding and touching the mind and heart of another person is true communication. Israel chose the blessing instead of the Lord. They did what was best in their minds. They did not listen! Behavior or action is important. Although, good communication is the steering wheel of our lives.
I smile while reading what the soldiers sent to arrest Jesus said after they returned without Him. People are still startled when they hear words of wisdom. In the next scripture, notice the reference to the power of correctly spoken words. Words change the our circumstances in the workplace.
"So there was a division among the people because of him. And some of them would have taken him; but no man laid hands on him. Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? The officers answered, Never man spake like this man." John 7:43-46
After reading the explanation, can you see why the soldier said "Never man spake like this man."? Christ is like His Father in every way. Jesus speaks as our Father. He does as our Father. They are the same One.
"And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me." John 17:22-23
Apostle Paul, at the direction of the Lord, told us how we should speak. These are beautiful words and worthy of committing to memory.
"Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man." Colossians 4:6
Grace should flow in our speech, while salt should season our words. Are these ingredients mysterious? When you understand the word grace, the scripture is clear. Grace is the result of the Lord's favor and His choosing. Grace is giving favor to others because it pleases the giver. The giving of grace requires total forgiveness. Grace is never reminding a person of an old trespass. Put it to the test. Since the Lord gave you grace, has He ever reminded you of past sins? Satan is the Accuser.
Salt is a preservative and a spice. As salt, our speech should prevent a conversation from decaying or having flatness. Irony and sarcasm are tools of correction. They cause thought, not conversation. We should use them with care.
Man enjoys using frivolous and hollow words. Salt, on the other hand, is tasteful and straight forward. Seasoned conversations also cause thought and create an awareness in the participants. Jesus never speaks with shrewdness, implications or deceit. Passive, shallow or idle words are far from the ways of God. When you add salt, the food becomes more appetizing and tasteful. Our speech should do the same to a conversation.
Almost all our lives, we must interact with others in the workplace. In doing so, we must learn to talk with people instead of at them. Most people never learn to listen with their hearts; although, they may work at it all their lives. We should hear with our ears and listen with our hearts. We must learn to listen intently to all people.
Our workplaces may be anywhere. There, we could be working with such people as these: adults, children, aged and so on. The principles, shown to us by Christ, apply to all people and all situations.
"And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them." Luke 24:13-15
Look at what the scriptures say about Peter when he denied knowing Christ. He tried to conceal his dialect and heart by cursing. His speech, however, revealed him because Peter knew how to speak with grace and salt. Peter had spent more than three years talking with and learning from Christ. Peter tried to hide it, but his speech gave testimony of his discipleship.
"And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man. And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly." Matthew 26:72-75
Good speech is more than saying the right words. The tone and the combination of words are just as important. As we speak, we must choose correctly the words we use. Mothers know what I am talking about. Mothers, your children know you are mind-readers. You know when your children tell the truth. You also know when they lie. The same occurs in any other workplace. If you know the scriptures, you know a person reveals his heart through his words. His words tell exactly in whom and where his heart dwells. You have only to trust Christ and do His will in a situation as you speak. Apply the scriptures that Christ gave to us. These scriptures show what comes from man's heart.
"O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. But I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgement. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Matthew 12:34-37
Do you see that words reveal the intent of the heart even if one would hide it? A tree bears the name of its fruit. Who can hide or conceal the heart in anything, especially bitterness?
Bitterness and other animosities are the evidence of the state of a heart. They drip from one's words. Self-pity rides forth on bitter words as the Destroyer. Your spirit can sense guile or deceit, even through honey-coated words. Bitter words show the scorn of another. Others will hear or sense the hostility.
We are talking about speaking God's way. The Lord is our example. When the Lord is our treasure, we cling to Him with our whole heart. We walk upright with Him. We speak as He speaks. Our position in Christ echoes from our words both to God and man. If we are unforgiving of man, we are unforgiving of God. If our focus is on God ways, that aim comes forth in our words. If your heart is against God, it comes forth in your words.
"A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. And why call ye me, LORD, LORD, and do not the things I say?" Luke 6:45-46
Jesus Christ always listens to what we say. He also listens to our silence. Usually, unspoken words are more important than spoken ones. An unspoken lie is still a lie.
When Jesus spoke, there was no question about what He said. Even when a person disagreed with Jesus, he understood exactly what Christ had said. Most rejected what Christ told them. I think most people would have preferred Him to say nothing. No question was in their minds, however, about what Jesus did say.
People acted then as they do now. They pretend to misunderstand the Word of God. You have heard the Spirit of the Lord talking to you. Did you pretend? Did you question?
A man will never speak as the Lord speaks. Man is only man. Nevertheless, I do believe we can learn more about God's ways of speaking. By learning how He speaks, we can learn about His wisdom. Hence, we can pattern our speech after His wisdom. Even though it is best to hear once and learn, generally, man learns by experience and repetition.
Communicating is more than just saying the correct words. These three elements of communicating must be right to achieve the desired results: words, delivery, and timing. You must want to speak correctly before you can learn to speak correctly. Do you remember Ezra's agenda: learn, do, and teach? Jesus learned, did, and taught. He is our example.
Now that you have read this chapter, think about our example, Jesus Christ, before you complete the following task. Yes, this is a workbook. On these lines, write how and why you choose as you do. Take some time to ponder about this before you write. If your statements are truthful, the gain is yours. Weeks, months or years later, you can refer to these statements and see your spiritual growth.
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The LORD Is GOD Even At Work
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