ODJ: words that build up
September 19, 2011
Since you are so eager to have the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will strengthen the whole church (v.12).
READ: 1 Corinthians 14:1-19
良言一语三冬暖，恶语伤人六月寒。 Imagine if I were to continue writing this article in Simplified Chinese script. Even if I were to write in excellent prose and share some inspiring truths, it wouldn’t add anything to your life (unless you know Simplified Chinese). The reason is obvious. Intelligibility precedes understanding. Everyone can understand that!
Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians, “I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language” (14:19). The point of his words is clear: Let love be your highest goal as you use your gifting to build up the church.
By way of illustration, Paul compared two gifts—speaking in tongues and prophesying—to teach that love and building up others must always be the modus operandi in the exercising of our spiritual gifts. Without negating the gift of tongues, Paul said, “I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more I wish you could all prophesy” (v.5). Why? Because prophesying has a threefold effect: It “strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them” (v.3). The one who speaks in tongues, on the other hand, only builds up himself.
A Bible teacher paraphrased 1 Corinthians 4:12 this way: “Eagerly desire, as a result of God’s gifting in your life, to be able to bring the truth of the Word of God to bear upon the fellowship in which you worship at the level of teaching, instruction, correction, and rebuke.”
So now that we have taken Paul’s words to heart, what was I saying in the first sentence of this devo? In English, it means: Words have the power to build up or tear down. —Poh Fang Chia
How have you been edifying and building up other believers in Jesus by your words? What spiritual gifts has God given you which you can use to help His children?
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