UCB Word For Today

There are times when we all experience rejection, betrayal, and disappointment. But if we hold on to those experiences, we can remain in a state of perpetual hurt. Indeed, when we refuse to forgive and move on, we place a weapon into Satan’s hands that he will use against us at every opportunity. It’s not what has happened to us, but how we respond that matters. If we allow the hurt to gain control of our thoughts, it can undermine our emotional wellbeing. Jesus doesn’t want us to go through life carrying old wounds; He wants to heal us. This is why He gave us the precious promises in His Word. Regardless of how badly we’ve been hurt, God always has our complete restoration in mind. ‘“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the LORD’ (Jeremiah 30:17 NKJV). If you have spent years wrestling with unresolved hurt, God has provided a way out. ‘He heals the broken-hearted and binds up their wounds.’ When He was on earth, Jesus was constantly healing people’s pain and comforting them in their sorrow. And when He left earth, He didn’t leave us high and dry. He sent the eternal source of comfort to live inside of each of us – the Holy Spirit, who is our comforter, helper, and friend (see John 14:16). The hurts you’ve experienced are real, but God doesn’t want them to be your greatest reality. His Spirit is always with you and will never leave you (see Hebrews 13:5). And you can draw from His strength through every painful circumstance and find healing when you’ve been hurt.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Jesus told the disciples just before He left this earth to return to heaven: ‘I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high’ (Luke 24:49 KJV). As a redeemed child of God the Holy Spirit lives in you (see Romans 8:9). But this promise indicates that you can also have the Holy Spirit resting upon you and empowering you. How did the disciples respond to this promise? ‘All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer’ (Acts 1:14 ESV). Author Larry Sparks says, ‘For too long, the Western church has tolerated a prayer culture defined by lack of results.’ Then he gives us this strategy for a divine visitation: ‘Review God’s promises for a Holy Spirit outpouring. Become possessed by them. And “tarry” in devoted, sustained, persevering prayer until revival promises become revival realities. That’s exactly what the disciples did.’ We make the mistake of assuming that outpourings of the Holy Spirit are sovereignly fixed dates in heaven’s calendar. One of the great promises God made to us is this: ‘In the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh’ (Acts 2:17 ESV). As long as ‘all flesh’ has not experienced this outpouring of God’s Spirit, we must continue to pray, ‘Oh, that You would rend the heavens [and] come down!’ You say, ‘What can I do?’ Do what the disciples did: ‘All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer.’ Begin to pray each day for a divine visitation of God’s Spirit.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Paul takes one entire chapter in the book of Romans to name the people who helped him and to express his appreciation for them. Showing that you care about people beyond what they can do for you lets them know you truly care about them. Sincere praise can energise others and cause them to spring up like wilted flowers that have just been watered. Oh, the dividends that a husband or a wife (or anyone else) would reap from expressing appreciation for the little things. Just in case your gratitude muscle has grown weak, and you take most kindnesses and efforts for granted, read the following list of tasks and responsibilities that you should show appreciation for: Cleaning the house. Preparing meals. Paying the bills. Going to work. Spending wisely. Buying groceries. Washing and folding the clothes. Bathing the kids. Taking out the rubbish. Filling the car with fuel. Being on time. Watering the grass or plants. Sending out Christmas and special-occasion cards. Selecting family birthday presents. Supporting your career. Being accountable. Listening. The list could go on and on. Why not set a goal of appreciating at least one thing per day for a particular person in your life? If you are a man, don’t be so insecure that you fear you will appear weak if you start to notice the little things. It takes a real man to look beyond his needs and recognise the efforts of another. When you are secure in your own identity, you are able to give people more power by keeping them informed, trusting them, caring about them, and appreciating them.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Entering the Promised Land, God told Joshua: ‘Be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses.’ You must identify your core values – and live by them. Swiss philosopher Henri-Frederic Amiel said, ‘The man who has no inner life is a slave to his surroundings.’ Your core values are the governing principles you live by. They’re the light that guides you. They give stability and structure to your inner world. When that’s in order, you can navigate your way through almost anything. Have you ever wondered why God refers to His Word as ‘laws’? Because they govern your thoughts and actions, guide you in the right direction, and guard you from trouble. They bring order to your life; without that, you’re left with chaos and confusion. Imagine living in a world where 100 centimetres don’t equal a metre, and two plus two doesn’t make four. God established His laws for our good. When we disobey them, we suffer; when we honour them, we succeed. Unlike dining al a carte, you can’t pick what you want and forget the rest. God says, ‘Do everything written…Then you will be…successful’ (Joshua 1:8 NIV). Many talented people who make it into the limelight don’t stay there long. Why? Because they failed to develop strong character. Their lack of integrity toppled them because they couldn’t climb beyond the limitations of their character. Talent may take you to a higher level of success, but without character, you won’t be able to handle the pressures that accompany success. That’s why it’s so important to live by the principles of God’s Word. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The fear of success derails many dreams. Sometimes success brings resentment from those closest to you. Being successful can also create its own anxiety; namely, you fear that you are unable to maintain your success. Then there’s the fear of attracting people who want what you’ve got but are not willing to pay the price you paid to get it. Solomon warned, ‘Wealth attracts many friends’ (Proverbs 19:4 NIV). Then there’s the fear of being bombarded by constant requests for money. What if you say no? You must follow your heart, give as God directs you, and leave your image up to Him. David said, ‘You surround them with your favour as with a shield’ (Psalm 5:12 NIVUK). The favour of God can make you a target. And while you must always try to be fair in your behaviour towards others, you cannot reject the favour God sends your way just to keep others from becoming envious. You must embrace God’s favour as part of your destiny. Perhaps growing up, you were told that you should not expect success. And now that you have it, you may feel that you don’t deserve it and that it won’t last. Indeed, you may find yourself engaging in self-sabotaging behaviour that will confirm your own worst fears and bring them to fruition. What should you do? First, thank God that you understand the root of your problem. Second, talk it out with a good listener. As you hear yourself put the problem in perspective, you may find yourself declaring the words of Solomon: ‘Common sense and success belong to me. Insight and strength are mine.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

The Bible says, ‘Joshua built an altar to the LORD…in Mount Ebal…“an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool.” And they offered on it burnt offerings to the LORD…Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal…He read all the words of the law, the blessings and the cursings’ (Joshua 8:30-34 NKJV). There are two important lessons in this otherwise obscure Old Testament story. First, ‘an altar of whole stones over which no man has wielded an iron tool’ speaks of God’s unearned and unmerited grace towards us – no human effort involved. ‘For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast’ (Ephesians 2:8-9 KJV). Second, notice where this altar was built. When Israel listened to Joshua reading the blessings and cursings recorded in the Law of Moses, half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim and the other half in front of Mount Ebal. Those in front of Mount Gerizim heard him read the blessings, and those in front of Mount Ebal heard him read the cursings. But the altar was not built on Gerizim, the mount of blessings, but on Ebal, the hill of cursing. The message is clear: even when you ‘blow it’, God extends His grace to you. C.S. Lewis said, ‘Obedience is the key that opens every door.’ So even when you fail and disobey God, you can return to the altar of grace at Mount Ebal. It’s built for people like you.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

It had been twenty-five years since Fontella Bass’s rhythm and blues single ‘Rescue Me’ hit number one in the charts. She had no career to speak of, and she was penniless, tired, and cold. The only heat in her house came from a gas stove in the kitchen. She had strayed from her faith and the church where she started singing gospel songs as a child. As she prayed, Fontella asked God for ‘a sign’ to confirm that He heard her. Suddenly, she heard her hit song ‘Rescue Me’ on a television commercial! To her, it was as if ‘the Lord had stepped right into my world!’ Fontella was unaware that American Express had been using her song in a commercial and hadn’t been able to locate her to pay royalties. Not only did she receive back-royalties, but new opportunities also began to open for her to sing. Shortly after that, she released a new album. But the best news is that she renewed her relationship with the Lord. ‘For so many years I tried doing it on my own, and it didn’t work,’ she said. ‘Then I took it out of my hands and turned it over to Him, and now everything’s happening.’ The psalmist David wrote: ‘In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened, he saved me from all my troubles…Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!’ (Psalm 34:6, 8 NLT). And what God did for David and Fontella Bass, He will do for you if you’ll only turn to Him.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Isaiah said that God ‘formed me in my mother’s womb to be his servant’ (Isaiah 49:5 NLT). God deliberately shaped each of us for His service. How then can we complain that we are too short, too tall, too dark, too fair, or too anything else that is unchangeable? The word ‘too’ implies something is beyond what’s desirable or more than what should be. How can anything that God formed be too anything? What we’re really saying is, ‘This feature doesn’t conform to society’s prescribed standard of beauty,’ so we allow our non-conforming attributes to cause us to become insecure and rob us of our confidence. We then feel that our only solution is to change the undesirable feature. What a slap in God’s face. ‘Does the clay dispute with the one who shapes it, saying, “Stop, you’re doing it wrong!” Does the pot exclaim…“Why did you make me this way?” This is what the LORD says…“Do you question what I do?…Do you give me orders about the work of my hands?”’ (Isaiah 45:9-11 NLT). You will strengthen your emotional security when you make peace with every aspect of yourself. By God’s grace and divine enablement you must truly accept – not merely resign yourself to His sovereign design. When you do so, you stop comparing yourself to others and judging yourself as either inferior or superior. Self-consciousness and fretting over your outward appearance disappear. You have now cleared the path for your real inner beauty to shine through. It’s time to experience body peace, knowing you’re designed for your destiny, tailored for your tasks, and perfect for your purpose.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Whatever circumstances you find yourself in, they don’t have to define you or defeat you. Even if you cannot change them, you can overcome them. George Bernard Shaw wrote: ‘People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can’t find them, make them.’ When it comes to faith, we rely far too much on circumstantial evidence. Doubt is letting our circumstances dictate how we feel and what we believe. When we let our circumstances get between us and God, it creates a smokescreen of doubt. Faith is putting the promises of God between you and your circumstances. It doesn’t mean you deny reality. It simply means you’re in touch with a greater reality – one more real than what you can touch or taste or see or hear or feel or smell. Jesus was a realist: ‘In this world you will have trouble.’ But He was also an optimist: ‘Take heart! I have overcome the world’ (NIV). Our optimism is anchored to the empty tomb. If Jesus walked out of the tomb, and He did, you don’t have a problem that He cannot solve. And you need to start living as though you believe that is true. There are seven promises in the book of Revelation that begin with the same phrase: ‘To him who overcomes.’ And it reminds us of our true identity as overcomers. We aren’t just conquerors; we are more than conquerors!© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Before the age of two, Helen Keller lost her vision and her hearing. In an instant, her world went dark and silent. Then a godsend named Anne Sullivan broke through Helen’s solitary confinement and touched her soul. As a result, Helen became the first deaf/blind person to earn a bachelor’s degree. She also authored a dozen books, including a manifesto on her philosophy of life, Optimism. ‘No pessimist ever discovered the secrets of the stars,’ she wrote, ‘or sailed to an uncharted land.’ The last page of her book echoes the first page of Scripture: ‘Optimism is the harmony of man’s spirit and the spirit of God pronouncing His works good.’ If God’s Spirit is within you, optimism is the order of the day. Optimism isn’t at odds with the reality all around us. It simply means we’re anchored to another reality – the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ – that is deeper and stronger and longer than the reality we can perceive with our five senses. Helen Keller proved that with an optimistic spirit, even the most difficult of circumstances cannot define you. And even if you cannot change them, you can overcome them. She proved that as amazing as the human eye is, there’s something more amazing – the mind’s eye that enables us to imagine the unthinkable and believe the impossible. It’s why she said, ‘The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.’ Or as Paul put it: ‘Brothers and sisters, think about the things that are good and worthy of praise’ (Philippians 4:8 NCV). In other words, be optimistic.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Have you ever noticed how quick we are to accuse someone else of some of the very things we excuse in ourselves? In so doing, we practise a double standard, requiring more from others than of ourselves. Jesus said, ‘Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?’ (Matthew 7:3 NKJV). The double standard works like this: 1) When others are set in their ways, they’re obstinate – but you are firm and resolved. 2) When your neighbour doesn’t like your friend, she’s prejudiced – but when you don’t like her friend, you’re a good judge of character. 3) When she tries to treat someone especially well, she’s buttering them up – but when you do so, you’re being thoughtful. 4) When she takes time to do things well, she’s lazy – but when you do so, you’re meticulous. 5) When she spends a lot, she’s reckless and undisciplined – but when you do the same thing, you’re generous. 6) When she picks flaws in things, she’s critical – but when you do, you’re perceptive. 7) When she’s mild-mannered, you call her weak – but when you are, you’re gracious. 8) When she dresses well, she’s extravagant – but when you do, you’re tastefully in style. 9) When she says what she thinks, she’s spiteful – but when you do, you’re being honest. 10) When she takes risks, she’s foolhardy – but when you do, you’re brave. Paul wrote: ‘Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another.’ So, the word for today is: let us honour one another.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Paul wrote: ‘Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life’ (vv. 4-5). Jesus was insistent on this. After the resurrection, He appeared to some of His followers. He gave Peter a specific pastoral assignment that included great sacrifice. Peter responded by pointing at John and asking, ‘“Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to live until I come back, that is not your business. You follow me”’ (John 21:21-22 NCV). In other words, stay focused on your own assignment. A little boy named Adam wanted to be like his friend Bobby. Adam loved the way Bobby walked and talked. Bobby, however, wanted to be like Charlie. Something about Charlie’s stride and accent intrigued him. Charlie, on the other hand, was impressed with Danny. Charlie wanted to look and sound like him. Danny, of all things, had a hero as well: Adam. He wanted to be just like Adam. So, Adam was imitating Bobby, who was imitating Charlie, who was imitating Danny, who was imitating Adam. It turns out that all Adam needed to do was to be himself! You can learn from others, but you can only find joy and fulfilment in being who God created you to be. So stay in your own lane. Run your own race. Nothing good happens when you compare and compete. Furthermore, God will not evaluate and reward you according to the talents of others, but according to how faithful you were with the gifts He gave you. You are not responsible for the nature of your gifts, but for how you use them.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Whether you lead at home, in church, or in business, you’ll be called upon to make hard and unpopular decisions for the good of all concerned. This is particularly so for parents. Those who fear rejection or loss of a child’s affection often ‘go along to get along’. That’s a selfish decision, because you’re putting your own need to be loved and accepted above your child’s long-term need for structure and self-discipline. How far do you think your child will get in life without these things? Sadly, many parents are too insecure to discipline their children because they want to maintain their friendship. Since when did a parent’s role include being a friend? If mothers and fathers are honest, they’ll admit that they frequently say yes when they should say no to make up for the lack of time they spend with their kids. Of course, we know that an investment of quality time yields a better payoff in the long term than anything else a parent can do. Paradoxically, children will usually end up disrespecting or even resenting a parent who operates in that kind of insecurity because it leaves children emotionally underdeveloped and ill-equipped to handle the pressures and responsibilities of adulthood. By repeatedly giving in to your child, you are postponing their maturity. Sometimes what’s called for is tough love. Hence the Bible says, ‘Train up a child in the way that he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.’ So seek God’s wisdom, guidance, and strength, and He will help you become the kind of parent your child needs.© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

In his bestselling book, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell defines the tipping point as ‘the moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point’. It’s the moment when an idea, trend, or social behaviour passes the point of no return and gains acceptance. In the realm of physics, a tipping point is when an object is displaced from a stable state of equilibrium into a new state. In economics, it’s the point at which an emerging technology becomes the industry standard. In sociology, it’s when a quorum of people adopts a behaviour so that it reaches critical mass and goes viral. Spiritually speaking, the tipping point is when you believe without any reservation that God is for you. It’s the revelation that God doesn’t just love you, He likes you. He loves you enough to die for you, and He likes you enough to spend eternity with you. Yet some of us remain sceptical. We project our self-contempt onto God, assuming that He must be as angry with us as we are with ourselves. Or we fall into the performance-based trap of thinking that our behaviour determines God’s posture towards us – whether that is for or against. Listen: the fact that God is for you was proven at Calvary’s cross. Oswald Chambers wrote: ‘No power on earth or in hell can conquer the spirit of God in a human spirit.’ He said, ‘It is an inner unconquerableness.’ Religion is all about what you can do for God; Christianity is all about what Christ has done for you. But it starts with this all-important kernel of truth: ‘This I know…God is for me.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Loving relationships are a cornerstone of life. They are the foundation of Christ’s church and evidence that we have the love of God in our hearts. God places a big emphasis on how we relate to others, because our relationships impact every area of our lives: at home, at work, at church, at school, and during our everyday interactions. A relationship built on love, sensitivity, and respect can win an unsaved husband or wife to Christ. Peter wrote: ‘You wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over by observing your pure and reverent lives’ (1 Peter 3:1-2 NLT). This is why Satan attacks our relationships so much. When relationships break down, it impacts the quality of our life. Medical science has proven that unresolved bitterness and unforgiveness are sources of sickness and depression. And just as God wants you to be healed physically, He wants you to experience His healing touch in your relationships as well. But you have a part to play. ‘Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behaviour. Instead, be kind to each other, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you’ (Ephesians 4:31-32 NLT). As you pray about your troubled relationship, make this confession: ‘Since God has forgiven me of all my sins, I will not hold unforgiveness against anyone. I release all bitterness and anger. Lord, I pray Your peace over the misunderstanding and hurtful area in this relationship. Amen.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

When he became campaign manager for President George Bush and chairman of the Republican National Committee, Lee Atwater had accomplished the two things he wanted to do by the time he was forty years of age. Then he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour. Shortly before he died, he wrote these sobering words: ‘I acquired more wealth, power and prestige than most. But you can acquire all you want and still feel empty. What power wouldn’t I trade for a little more time with my family? What price wouldn’t I pay for an evening with friends? It took a deadly illness to put me eye to eye with that truth, but it’s a truth that the country…can learn on my dime. I lie here in my bedroom, my face swollen from steroids, my body useless…The doctors still won’t answer that nagging question: how long do I have? Some nights I can’t go to sleep, so fearful am I that I will never wake up again. I’ve come a long way since the day I told President Bush that his “kinder, gentler” theme was a nice thought, but it wouldn’t win us any votes. I used to tell the President that he might be kinder and gentler, but I wasn’t going to be. How wrong I was. There is nothing more important in life than relationships, and nothing sweeter than the human touch.’ If you’re wise, your priorities in life will be God first, your family second, and your career third. ‘Teach us to realise the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.’© 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

A series of illustrations in a popular magazine once depicted the life story of a ‘one-note musician’. From frame to frame, the tale revealed how the woman followed her daily routine of eating and sleeping until the time came for the evening concert. She carefully inspected her violin, took her seat, arranged her music, and tuned her instrument. First the conductor skilfully cued one group of musicians, then another, until finally her moment arrived. It was time for her one note to be played! The conductor turned to the violinist and signalled her to sound her note. She did, and then the moment was over. The orchestra played on, and the ‘one-note’ woman sat quietly through the rest of the concert – not with a sense of disappointment that she had played only one note, but with a sense of contentment that she had played her one note in tune, on time, and with all her ability. Jesus told the story of a business owner who gave three of his employees some talents of silver to be invested on his behalf. One was given five talents, another two talents, and another one talent, ‘to each according to his own ability’ (Matthew 25:15 NKJV). The Bible says we will be rewarded in heaven for our service to Christ here on earth. How will God decide what your reward should be? Jesus said it’s ‘to each according to his own ability.’ Or as Solomon put it, ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.’ In other words, do the best you can with what God gave you. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Every experience in our past has prepared us for some future opportunity. God doesn’t redeem only our souls; He also redeems our experiences, both good and bad. He does it by refining our character, developing our gifts, and teaching lessons that we can’t learn any other way. We learn the most important lessons in the classroom of life through first-hand experience. The tests are challenging, but no curriculum is more effective. And how you pass the test is by growing in character, developing the gift, or learning the lesson God is trying to teach you through that experience. God is at work in your life. He is helping you get ready for your date with destiny. And He is doing it in ways that are practically imperceptible. David realised that slaying the lion and the bear prepared him to bring down Goliath. And it’s not until you face your biggest challenge that God identifies how, when, and where He prepared you. That’s when you realise that the battle was won long before you stood on the battlefield. It was necessary for Moses to tend sheep for forty years before he could lead the flock of Israel. The disciples had to fish for fish before they could fish for men. A time of preparation precedes every divine appointment. And if we surrender to the preparation, God will execute His promise. If we don’t, He won’t. This is because God never sets us up to fail. The time you spend in the shadows is preparing you for the time when you will be in the limelight. The time you spend on the sidelines is preparing you to be on the front lines – and win.

Peter describes the life of Jesus in these words: ‘Who went about doing good’ (Acts 10:38 NKJV). So, becoming more Christlike means looking for opportunities to do good. An anonymous author wrote: ‘When people are unreasonable, illogical, self-centred, and arrogant, love them anyway. When people insist that your goodness contains selfish motives, do good anyway. If you are successful, you will win both false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway. If you are honest, some will seek to twist your words against you. Be honest anyway. If you do good today, some may forget it by tomorrow. Do good anyway. If you show yourself to be a big person with big ideas, don’t be surprised if you are opposed by small people with small minds. Think big anyway. What you have spent years building, some may seek to destroy overnight. Build anyway.’ President Theodore Roosevelt said: ‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man [or woman] who points out…where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man [or woman] who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes up short again and again…who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself [or herself] in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst…at least fails while daring greatly, so that his [or her] place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.’ So, look for opportunities to do good. © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.

Here are two stories from history that illustrate how the power of your words can affect others: 1) One day an altar boy was serving the priest at a mass at the country church in his small village. The boy, nervous in his new role, accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. The priest struck him sharply on the cheek. Then in a gruff voice the congregation could hear, he shouted, ‘Leave the altar and don’t come back!’ That boy became Marshall Tito, the Communist dictator who ruled Yugoslavia with cruelty for decades. 2) One day in a large city cathedral another boy was serving a bishop at Sunday mass. He also accidentally dropped the cruet of wine. The bishop turned to him, but rather than responding in anger, he gently whispered with a warm twinkle in his eyes, ‘Someday you will be a great priest.’ And he was. That boy grew up to become Archbishop Fulton Sheen, whose weekly televised sermons were heard by millions across America each week. Your words have the power to build up or tear down, enlighten or confuse, bring peace or cause division. The childhood phrase, ‘Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me,’ simply isn’t true. Your words can hurt. They can wound – sometimes deeply. But they can also build self-esteem, create friendship, give hope, render blessing, and bring healing: ‘Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones’ (Proverbs 16:24 NASB). So, pray like David: ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD’ (Psalm 19:14 NKJV). © 2024. Written by Bob and Debby Gass. Used by permission under licence from UCB International.