Part 4 of UP Series

In case you haven’t figured it out by now, I am a person of many words. I love to talk. I love to share stories and have different discussions over different topics at all times. In fact one of my favorite activities is to head over to a family member’s house just to visit. There is just so much to discuss! Guess what I got in trouble for the most while in school? That’s right – talking. Even though I knew my place and generally did what I was supposed to, inevitably something would pop in my head that needed to be shared right that instant. My teachers were not always appreciative of this particular character trait of mine. Clearly I was just trying to help them out by extending their patience levels.

I’ve often wondered how different my life would have been like had social media been around when I was growing up. And let me be the first to say, I’m glad it wasn’t. I’m glad I learned to have actual conversations with people, not hide behind a screen or feel more at home with an electronic device in my hand rather than a person in front of me. The world was not ready for the random thoughts of a 12-year old Bethany. I’m not even positive that world is ready for the random thoughts of 29-year old Bethany, but oh well. Here we are! With the popularity of social media, including blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, what has initially been a fantastic idea that could have wonderful repercussions has turned into a mess of snide comments and volatile behavior. In a world that has put all of its eggs in the basket of technology (and don’t get me wrong, I LOVE technology), it’s time to Speak UP, both literally and figuratively.

• Literally – Speak UP for the people who can’t speak for themselves.

One of my favorite stories in the Bible is that of Queen Esther. She was placed in the palace “for such a time as this.” (Esther 4:14) Handpicked by God for a special purpose, and that purpose required her opening her mouth and speaking up.

Daniel too spoke up in regards to his diet. He politely asked the overseer if he and his three friends could have a different diet – healthier than the one they were being offered. There was no rudeness in Daniel’s request, no insistence on his way, no threats. It was just a simple request. It dawned on me recently that that request may have been the catalyst that paved the way for the favor that Daniel experienced while in Babylon. He too spoke up, and many other Jews received blessings as the result of Daniel’s obedience.

And Paul? Well, let’s be honest. By all accounts, I think we can all agree that Paul can be described as a walking megaphone. He was not afraid to open his mouth and speak. But still, he didn’t run over people. He knew the right way to speak to all different personality types.

God will rarely ask us to do something within our comfort zone. Sometimes that may include speaking up for those who can’t do it themselves. I love what Christine Caine posted a while back that I think of often:

“Speak the truth, even if your voice shakes.”

• Figuratively – Speak UP to encourage others.

There’s no one here that would disagree that we are inundated with negativity. We live in a world where information is just a click away, yet many times we get more than we bargained for. There has always been sin and strife in the world, but thanks to social media, we are now more aware of it than ever. No wonder people feel hopeless. No wonder people feel alone. But we have hope! We have Jesus! We have the One who is known for raising the dead! Why wouldn’t our conversations be sweeter? Why wouldn’t our words turn people to Jesus? Why wouldn’t we be the person to invoke positive change into the lives of others?

Actions do speak louder than words, but words are still necessary. My dad tells the story of a Christian man who felt burdened to share the Gospel with is coworker. Because this man was kind of shy and uncomfortable with speaking up, he decided that he would wait to see if his coworker would notice anything different about him and ask why. After a few weeks went by, this coworker went to his friend and said, “I’ve noticed that there’s something different about you.” This man was so excited and was thinking Yes! He’s going to ask me about God. This is my open door! Outwardly he was very calm and just nodded as he waited for his coworker to continue. His coworker then asked, “Are you a vegetarian?” Not quite the difference he was looking to make.

Words are necessary. And our words matter. Look at Proverbs 18:20-21 (NLT):

“Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction. The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”