Semi-wilted tulips.
(I received these as a gift from the company I work at.)
They were mostly wilted because the day they were bought, I was not at work, so they were sitting without water.
Yesterday I cut the stems and put them in fresh water. Oh how they wilted pathetically with their heads turned downwards bending halfway at the stems.
Today, to my surprise, when I came to work, the tulips were bright, upright, standing tall and lively!
Who would have known (unless you have a green thumb) that such flowers could be revived after being so sickly and downcast?
There was hardly any water left at the base of the vase this morning.
Oh how this reminded me of life and how precious and vital our words are.
Words can tear a person down or build them up
Words can speak life or speak death
Words cannot break bones but certainly can and do hurt people
(That rhyme is a lie by the way. Isn’t it interesting what we tell ourselves because we have heard other people say it! “The grass is greener… Sticks and stones… It won’t kill you… etc. You get my point.)
Proverbs 10:11 The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life
Proverbs 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters, and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook
Proverbs 15:2,28 The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools pours out foolishness
Oh how there are so many verses on this!
It is also so important to guard our own hearts from the things people speak over us. We don’t have to accept and receive every word people say.
Proverbs 4:23 – Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life
Many have ‘suggested’ I get professional help for my son. Do they not know how the implication of this may suggest that I am less than fit enough as a parent or perhaps my son is not ‘up to par’ with their kids? I know their hearts are well meaning, however, words do hurt. I also see right through the enemy’s plan and Do NOT receive that. I give praise and thanks that I have received and am continuing to receive the BEST Professional help ever which comes from my Father, after all he knew my son and I before he knitted us in the womb.
Many times I say things in my frustration to jab at my son. “Well you’re not going to your friend’s house then!” etc. Seriously, this only makes my problems worse! Not only that, it tears him down in the process. It leaves a potential door for the enemy to tell him he isn’t good enough. (Which I DO NOT receives on his behalf and I declare and stand in Authority that the enemy has NO Hold over my son’s life because he is a child of the Most High King, Jesus Christ!)
How often do we stop to think about the effects of our words?
How often do we stop to give an encouragement, to uplift, to edify, to SPEAK LIFE to our children, spouses, family, friends, co-workers, and even strangers!
Don’t you know that the person who just flipped you off, cut in front of your car, slammed the door in your face, hung up the phone on you, gave you attitude etc. are probably hurting and if only given a little spring of life as the tulip needs, you could turn their downcast heart into a living well of life that hopefully would one day pour over into another heart that needed life.
Thank you Lord for teaching me through tulips.
M.O.A.W.
Walking With A Warrior 