Picture this: One of your employees (we’ll give him the name Bill) just made a mistake that
cost your company time and money. You call Bill in for a meeting mostly to
discuss what he did and because you are not happy about this. The meeting is
being held in the conference room. Bill arrives and you ask him to take a seat;
you suggest for him to sit towards the middle of this rather lengthy rectangular
table. Bill takes his seat and you sit on the opposite side of the table
directly across from him. What neither of you realize is that each end of this
table are seats that are also being occupied. At one end sits Jesus and at the
other end sits Satan. There are watching, observing the scene before them.
You are cordial at first but then as you begin replaying this mistake that Bill
has made and start contemplating the money and time that has been lost and your
anger starts to get the better of you. You start making comments like, “What
were you thinking? That was one stupid move, one like I have never seen! You
have cost the company a loss in revenue and production. What an idiot!”
At the same time you are railing at Bill, Jesus is moving to sit next to him.
Jesus is Bill’s advocate and HE sees you cursing Bill. Now Satan has moved over
to sit next to you and is cheering you on in hopes that Bill will come into
agreement of these spoken words you have just released. See, if Bill agrees
with you and says something like, “Yes Sir, I am stupid, I made an idiotic
mistake.”, and then Bill has come into agreement with those statements and then
gives Satan legal access to torment him. And it is all thanks to you because of
your spoken words.
Now, let’s reset the scene…You call a meeting with Bill to discuss the
situation. You and Bill are sitting at the conference table; Jesus at one end
and Satan at the other. You begin the discussion and are cordial but this time
also with a measure of compassion. You are here this time to find out what
happen and how together you might be able to rectify the situation and also help
Bill to understand what was done and how to prevent it in the future. You ask
Bill, “What happened?” Bill answers and says “I was not aware of the process
that caused the problem.” Instead of becoming irate and start berating Bill,
you sit back and say. “What can we do to help you? How about I set up some time
for you to spend with one of our supervisors in order to help you understand
this process better? I want to encourage you to come to your supervisor or
myself at any time you have a question or need help with any of the processes
our company uses.” “Now, let us see how we might turn this situation around.
With a little faith, prayer and the help of the Father we can make this right.”
Bill lets out a sigh of relief and smiles.
As you were encouraging Bill and working with him to solve the problem, Jesus
now sits with both of you smiling and Satan is disappearing from the scene.
Scripture says: in James 3:9-10 “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father,
and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same
mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.”
You have the choice to bless (praise) or curse another. Spoken words can hurt
and cause severe damage or you can encourage, edify and empower another. Choose
to be a broker of His love helping others live in the persona God has designed
for them.