Are We Willing?

By: Joanne Viola

There’s so much talk these days, it can hardly be avoided – TV, radio, social media, and in our communities. Some talk is helpful, some not so much. Some will be toxic and drain us of all hope and energy. Some will motivate and inspire us to do more and be better.

How are we to filter the talk we hear?

^"Real wisdom, God’s wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor." (James 3:17-18, MSG)

The verses above give us a few guidelines for filtering the talk we give our attention:

• Is it gentle and reasonable?
• Is it overflowing with mercy, pouring blessings out others?
• Is is stable and consistent, not changing with the crowd?

Filtering the talk we give ear to will help us in forming the environment for our families, our churches, our schools, and our communities.

In these verses, a healthy community is described as being “robust”, having strength and endurance and effect in every situation. A healthy community must be one which:

• Lives rightly with God.
• Gets along with others. Note that it tells us this will take hard work.
• Treats others with dignity and honor.

Paul, in writing to the Philippians, describes the attitude we are to have towards one another in community:

"Yes, and if I am being poured out as a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all." (Philippians 2:17, NKJV)

"Are you willing to sacrifice yourself for the work of another believer - to pour out your life sacrificially for the ministry and faith of another? ... Are you ready to be less than a drop in the bucket - to be so totally insignificant that no one remembers you even if they think of those you served? Are you willing to give and be poured out until you are used up and exhausted - not seeking to be ministered to, but to minister?"

(My Utmost For His Highest, February 5)

Oswald Chambers asks hard questions of us all. Are we willing to pour our lives out in this way? When we are willing, we will have made the first step towards growing a healthy and robust community.


Image by Bob Dmyt from Pixabay