Generous Words ~ Guest Post by Barbara Fuller

 

The book of Proverbs has a lot to say about words. Wise words that bring healing. Truthful words that stand the test of time. Encouraging words that cheer a person up. Kind words that sweeten a person’s day

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the taste and good for your health. Proverbs 16:24

Proverbs also talks about words to avoid: perverse words, violent words, seductive words, cutting words, destructive words. 

The apostle Paul was generous with his words that still bless us centuries later. He wrote some powerful words to the church at Corinth: 

You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Cor. 9:11)

How has God enriched you? How are you being generous with those treasures? To write is to express yourself. To share what you write is an act of generosity. If the treasure or gift that God has given you is that of writing, what does it mean to be generous with your words?

Worship

God has been so generous to us in Creation, Redemption and the provision of our daily needs. Generosity is an act of worship where you give without holding back, trusting that the One who provided it in the first place will continue to provide for your needs. 

God has blessed us with words to share. As Jesus, the Word made flesh, revealed God, so our words should impart a sense or essence of the truth, beauty, and love of Jesus Christ. It is an act of worship to send our words out into the world, trusting that God himself will use them to inspire and enrich the lives of others in ways we may never see.

Caring for Needs of Others

Generosity means caring for the needs of others. One of the cherished values in many cultures is hospitality – a beautiful expression of generosity. I remember visiting a family in a Moldovan village some years ago. Our host ushered us to a table laden with food and once we were all seated, he and his family disappeared into another room while we ate. My friends and I were puzzled. Why didn’t the family want to eat with us? Only later did I learn that they didn’t have enough food for everyone so rather than making their guests feel we should hold back, they generously waited until we were all done and then the family made do with whatever was left. They put us and our needs ahead of their own.

It's the same with writing. While the expression of my heart in words may be therapeutic for me, I must consider the needs of my readers. How will my words help, encourage, inform or inspire the one who reads them? Who am I writing for and what needs do I hope to meet? I want to bless others with words of hope, healing, and encouragement. 

Vulnerability

When guests are expected, I tidy up, vacuum, wipe the counters and plump up the pillows, and relegate the dog to the back room. I do it because I want my guests to feel welcome and comfortable. (My Lab wants to welcome them too but he misses the cues about comfort levels with personal space!) But if I am perfectly honest, I want to not feel embarrassed. 

Generosity in the form of hospitality risks being judged, taken advantage of, or even robbed. I love the story in ‘Les Misérables’ when Jean Valjean steals the candlesticks from the bishop’s home and is accosted by the police. The sergeant takes him back to the bishop and holds out the sack of stolen property. The bishop beautifully and generously states “You can’t steal what is freely given” and then gives him the silver candlesticks he left behind. 

When I write, I open my heart. Of course, I tidy up my writing, through grammar and spell check and a good edit. But it takes courage to share something from your own life. I may think that my story doesn’t matter or that nobody will care about it. I make myself vulnerable to criticism, judgment or raised eyebrows. However, with God directing my pen, I can be sure that taking that risk will help someone else see that they are not the only one who has felt that way, gone through that experience, failed so miserably or wanted to react in that manner. 

As we seek to be generous with our words, let’s honour and trust God, care for the needs of others, and be willing to open our hearts. May our generosity with our words bring much thanksgiving to God.

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain. Proverbs 10:11

Barbara Fuller, a native of Nova Scotia, has been writing since she was a teenager. Now living in BC, she is currently working on her fifth book in the Inlight Bible Studies series. Barb enjoys her six grand-darlings, music, books, languages, traveling, and walking on beaches, preferably with her dog Toby. Find her books and her blog at Barbara Fuller.