Inadequacy and Increase

And I wonder how many more giants of the faith would be produced if the assembly of believers would rise up declaring life and goodness in others?  I wonder how many moments have been missed and how many beautiful outcomes have been prematurely interrupted by Christians, even, who’s very ill-spoken, dishonoring words have extinguished the once burning flame of passion in another soul.

I was with someone a few years ago who was vocally advocating the shameful insults being heaved upon a portion of society responsible for significant moral failure.  This individual was hurling accusations with a sincere mindset that it would somehow bring revelation to those suffering the consequences of their choices, when in reality it was only serving to emphasize the believers judgement, gross antipathy, and a lack of godly love.

And the truth really is that right now the one you’ve been praying and believing heart-change for may be far from where they need to be.  The one you’ve been wanting change from and at the same time spewing hatred toward, could be sinking more into the pit you’ve pushed then in because of your inability to believe for a better result.

Maybe it’s a wayward child.  And you’ve prayed for the breakthrough, but one doesn’t seem to ever come, and so you find yourself saying it… declaring it with your mouth… “He will never change.”
And so he doesn’t.
Maybe it’s a co-worker.  And you’ve been believing for the miracle that would lead them to Jesus, but you wonder if your prayers are simply being ignored, because the one you had hope for, you've now become cynical to, and you find yourself saying it, “She won’t be better.”
And so she isn’t.
And could it be that maybe it’s a president, even.  And you’ve been praying for a better nation, a more God-honoring government, an improved representative for our nation.  And you find yourself saying it, “This is a joke.  He’s a joke.  This country deserves better.  He will always be a failure.”
And so he is.
Ungoverned  speech… often produces untimely demise.

But the fault might not be them… the fault might reside with us.

In Mark, chapter 9, Jesus was presented with a man who’s son needed both a healing and a deliverance from a devil-possession.  In verse 22 the man says to the Son of Man, “… Have mercy on us if you can.”

It’s one of the lowest recorded demonstrations of faith found in scripture.

“If you can.”

And of course He can.  And He’s willing.
And Jesus performs the miracle.

He performs the miracle despite the poor representation of faith.  Why?  Because He’s Jesus and He never allowed a lack of faith to be the reason a miracle was denied.  He addressed unbelief so that it would bring about an awareness in the individual of what He was doing, but for the purpose of stepping into a greater amount of faith He designed for them to live in.

James 5:15 says this, “Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.”

Who is responsible for having the faith that healing will come?
The one who is doing the praying.

Blaming the person needing the healing… needing the heart change… needing a transformation in their life… is pointless.
Blaming someone who is living with unbelief and who doesn’t know the power of the resurrection for their own life doesn't usher them to Jesus and increase their faith.
Pointing to all a person without faith lacks doesn’t bring them into fullness of Christ, because the shame their carry is too heavy.  And we add to that burden by belittling.

We will never win a soul to Jesus by bringing rise to their deficiencies.
That wayward son will not change if we insist on pointing to failures.
That co-worker will not be won for Jesus if we maintain an ugly disposition toward their defects.
That president will not step into His assignment ordained by God if we consistently pray only for removal and not for authentic, radical, heart-change that could positively alter the course of history if we believed in a God who is still on the throne and still has the whole world in the palm of HIS hands.

Highlighting inadequacy doesn’t generate increase.
Criticizing doesn’t develop champions.

We must live victorious over the enemy who seeks to kill, steal, and destroy.  We can’t let Him win the battle for souls… theirs AND ours.

The price we pay is too costly.

Choose the speech which brings life.

It really, really, REALLY matters.