Have you ever heard that “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never break me.” The more time goes on, the less I find that to be true. Our actions and our words carry weight and not just for negativity but positivity as well. As humans, we interact with people every day in some way or another and how we treat them makes a difference. As C.S. Lewis shared in a sermon entitled the Weight of Glory “It is immortals whom we joke with, work with, marry, snub, and exploit— immortal horrors or everlasting splendours. All day long we are, in some degree, helping each other to one or other of these destinations.” This is not an exaggeration on his part. He is highlighting the significance of humanity. Think of the dignity and importance God gave us when he made us in his image, created us with plans and purposes, and redeemed us through His Son, Jesus. He has sacrificed much on our behalf because He loves us. We do not pay for something unless it has worth, and His willingness to sacrifice for us, shows how much we are worth to him.
If you have ever seen a pawn shop show, you have seen the exchange between the shop owner and the seller. What they do is negotiate on an item’s worth. Each person has knowledge of its value and they work to arrange a mutually beneficial pricepoint. Sometimes, the items are quite odd or seem rusty and worthless if you are unfamiliar but then the negotiations ensue and you realize, maybe that hunk of metal is actually worth something! For the pawn shop owner, he doesn’t just see it for what it is but also for what it could be. If he could fix it up, restore it, then he could double its value. In the same way, we do not have to wait for perfection to see value in someone. We can see someone for who they are and for who they could be in Christ and we affirm that. When we honor, it’s not empty praise. As image bearers of God, we want to point out where a person lives in line with the Gospel and how they are demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. As Hebrews 10:24 encourages us, we ought to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” As we do this, it encourages the recipient to lean into these God given qualities and then they begin walking out what God has seen in them all along. Imagine what that could do for our world! We can sling insults that cripple and deflate OR we could stir up good works by honoring people in word and deed to encourage people to be all they were made to be in Christ. Is there anything more loving than this?
If you have ever seen a pawn shop show, you have seen the exchange between the shop owner and the seller. What they do is negotiate on an item’s worth. Each person has knowledge of its value and they work to arrange a mutually beneficial pricepoint. Sometimes, the items are quite odd or seem rusty and worthless if you are unfamiliar but then the negotiations ensue and you realize, maybe that hunk of metal is actually worth something! For the pawn shop owner, he doesn’t just see it for what it is but also for what it could be. If he could fix it up, restore it, then he could double its value. In the same way, we do not have to wait for perfection to see value in someone. We can see someone for who they are and for who they could be in Christ and we affirm that. When we honor, it’s not empty praise. As image bearers of God, we want to point out where a person lives in line with the Gospel and how they are demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. As Hebrews 10:24 encourages us, we ought to “consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.” As we do this, it encourages the recipient to lean into these God given qualities and then they begin walking out what God has seen in them all along. Imagine what that could do for our world! We can sling insults that cripple and deflate OR we could stir up good works by honoring people in word and deed to encourage people to be all they were made to be in Christ. Is there anything more loving than this?