Malcolm Potts October 23rd 2016 ~ Encouragement

Who is the wisest person you have ever known?I wonder what characterises them?As Jeremy was saying last Sunday, there was a powerful and pervasive tradition that flowed for thousands of years and is largely lost to us today in which wisdom was extolled.The most blessed, valuable thing to have and to be was wise.  You could not hope to live well unless you were wise.  Wisdom was personified as ‘her’ by the Hebrews.  The Greeks saw wisdom as the divine reason that oversaw all things.  They thought that some people were particular recipients of wisdom and knowledge and understanding as something that came from the gods above.Some people place the book of Daniel amongst the Old Testament wisdom literature but the centrepiece of biblical wisdom is, of course, the Proverbs, the collected wisdom of the school established by David's son Solomon, the king who asked, above all else, for wisdom from God [and then married 900 wives!!  Go figure. . .]Proverbs has a lot to say about wise words.   Words, good and bad, have real power.  Most of my externally damaging sin has involved words - dumb or inappropriate or un-thought-out things which I say anyway.  Unwise living!  The apostle James says that our words have the power to determine the whole course of human existence [James 3:5,6].I have been thinking about encouragement recently.  Words can bring life or death so readily.  The promotion of words [and actions of course] that bring life and the elimination of words that bring death is a transformative opportunity and challenge.Imagine if you could eliminate forever the dumb statement and always respond with the timely word that builds up and encourages the hearer.Bishop Jeremy said of Daniel that he was gentle in his unshakeable resolve to honour God amongst the polytheistic Babylonians. Most of what Daniel did consisted of disciplined, timely words.Starting on Monday 31st October at 2pm I am offering four weeks looking at encouragement for a biblical perspective.  It will be very encouraging.  We will be looking at words.This week consider your words.  Do your words have to make you right, superior, on top?What might you do to remedy death words?Are your words meaningful or shallow? I am amazed at how many people of great intelligence and learning cannot hold a meaningful conversation outside their specialist professional area.Do your words aim to build up?What sort of words encourage you? We all respond to different words of encouragement.Plan to come on Monday 31st and encourage one another and reflect on this important topic as a key to increasing our community capacity to care, receive care and communicate God's love and care to others.BlessingsMalcolm