Words of Affirmation

Friday, June 22, 2018

When all the people were being baptized,
Jesus was baptized too.
And as he was praying,
heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit
descended on him in bodily form like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven:
"You are my Son, whom I love;
with you I am well pleased."Luke 3:21-22

When I was a girl, I learned a snappy little comeback if anyone every said anything unkind to me. "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." I learned later on that this was just a bunch of hogwash. 

Proverbs 18:21 says, "The tongue has the power of life and death...." And Proverbs 12:18 says, "There is one who speaks rashly like the thrusts of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." 

I had never thought about this Luke passage as perhaps being a model for earthly fathers and their children. I see three things there that parents would be wise to do.

1. God the Father claimed Jesus as His Son.
   Sometimes parents and children go through a season when they really don't want to associate with each other. Right?
   But children of all ages really need to hear the voices of their fathers acknowledging them as family. It produces a sense of belonging.
2. God told Jesus that He loved Him.
   Sometimes parents just assume their children automatically know they are loved. But there's no substitute for actually saying the words -- or for being able to hear them coming from your father. It erases any doubt.
3. God told Jesus He was proud of Him.
   Words of affirmation and encouragement don't come easy for some people. But there's nothing better than hearing from someone you respect that they appreciate who you are. It gives us confidence.

All three of these things involve the spoken word. They are all positive and encouraging. They are satisfying for the speaker and the recipient. 

We should all think twice before we say things. We should avoid words that act as sticks or stones or swords. We should freely and sincerely give words that are encouraging, loving, and affirming.

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