Uncompromised

Words That Give Life Have you ever spoken something in passing and immediately wished you could take it back? Maybe it wasn’t meant to hurt, yet somehow your words landed heavier than you realized. Even those of us who love Jesus can unintentionally speak in ways that dim hope instead of lifting it. The truth is, our words have incredible power. They can wound deeply or bring life, encouragement, and healing. “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” (Proverbs 18:21) This isn’t what a life shaped by grace looks like. Those who have been saved by grace are also being molded and guided by grace. After all, we love because He first loved us (1 John 4:19). Words carry weight. Criticism without love can deepen wounds. Complaining quietly can bury hope. Harsh comments can feel like a sentence being handed down. Often, people are already hurting, doing everything they can just to stand back up. Then comes a word, spoken without care, that ...

  “And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold.” (Matthew 24:12) “But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.” (Matthew 15:18) Look around. It feels like a horror movie we cannot turn off. The news reads like satire, yet the satire is reality. The lie of “my truth” has taken root in hearts, and the coldness is shocking.  Tragedy becomes celebration, sin is worn as pride, and lives without Christ beat empty, hopeless, meaningless. And it is not only out there. In some churches, cold hearts have crept in. Smiles and polite words hide bitterness, envy, and pride. Words reveal the heart. Fruit reveals the tree. "Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit" (Matthew 12:33). The urgency is real. There is no time for lukewarm hearts, complacent speech, or shallow faith. Every word, every action, every fruit matters. We cannot grow numb o...