Insolomonsporch's Blog

Day Fifty-Two

Words of a Kind

“…but my words are of a kind which will be fulfilled in the appointed and proper time.”

Lk 1:20

Like fruit and animals that are each according to their kind – words are also of a kind.  Words are either of flesh, or they are of spirit.  All that they then yield, all that they inspire, conform to the nature of either flesh or spirit.

In the passage above, the angel Gabriel is speaking to Zachariah, the priest, and he is explaining that Zachariah will be silent until the words he has spoken to him have come to pass.  This is because Zachariah questioned their certainty – thus he was struck mute.  The angel says his words are of a kind, and that they have a destiny ahead to be fulfilled.

Words of spirit have a destiny of creating life, or expanding life.  They will not fall to the ground, nor will they return void.  But they will accomplish all that pleases God, and they will prosper in the thing for which they are sent.  Words that are spirit and life conform to the very word and promises of God which are yes and amen!  They are intentioned and arise out of the very heart of God.  They are then true and find their amen for those who are in Christ Jesus.

It is no stretch then to read Romans 1:16 where we are told that the gospel, the good news (read as God’s words of spirit and life) is God’s power working unto salvation for everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  Nor is it surprising that Jesus says in John 6:63 that the words He has been speaking are spirit and they are life.  All the words He ever gave were what the Father gave Him to give.

So if words of spirit have a destiny of bringing life and expanding life, what destiny do words of flesh bring?  Since they are words of flesh, all they can foster is more flesh.  From the flesh then, they bring ruin and decay and destruction (Gal  6:7-8).  This is a most sobering realization.  Not only do we sow from our thoughts and our deeds, we sow from our words.

Who then – knowing all of this – would not desire to choose their words carefully?  Who would not be most humbled by the inherent power of their words and their own inadequacy of character to bring their words under subjection? James tells us (Jam 3:2) that we all often stumble and fall and offend in many things.  And if anyone does not offend in speech [never says the wrong things], “he is a fully developed character and a perfect man, able to control his whole body and to curb his entire nature.”

Truly, I only know of One Who is perfect in this way.  Everyone else can only repent repeatedly of our massive shortcomings and cry out to Him continuously for mercy and help.  Some of us need His grace to overcome – even moment by moment!  And yet, as we yield, He is our ever present help in time of trouble.

Saints, scrutinize and bring captive to Christ the thoughts you indulge, and the deeds you do. But remember – it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles us, (Mt 15:17-19) and that words are “of a kind.”