September 5, 2022
by Tammy Phillips
“Kind words are like honey–sweet to the soul and healthy for the body”. (Pro 16:24 NLT)
The word of God tells us to “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone” (Mar 16:15 NLT) As a follower of Christ, did you know you are called to preach? Preach simply means to publish or to proclaim openly, something which has been done. Our commission is to go and share Jesus.
When we are called by the Holy Spirit to do something specific, when and if we obey, we go. Sometimes, we get so caught up in the going and the doing that we forget to stop. We go at work, home, and if life. We are called into all those places, but we have to remember to stop. Recently, the Holy Spirit has strongly encouraged me to go into a new territory, yet at the same time directed me, “Don’t forget to stop.”
How many times when Jesus was going from one place to another was He get stopped, His life interrupted? The woman at the well, the Samaritan woman (John 4:6-29); official’s son at Capernaum in Galilee (John 4:43-54); man with leprosy (Mat. 8:1-4); a centurion’s paralyzed servant (Mat 5-13), Peter’s mother-in-law; (Mat 8:14-15); woman with blood issue (Mat 9:20-22); two blind men (Mat. 9:27-31) and on and on. Jesus was always on the go yet lived an interrupted life.
We don’t like interruptions because we believe it hinders our going. It is hard to stop and listen when we are moving full speed ahead. We must go. We must stop. It how the Lord will use us to make a difference, f we follow His lead.
Recently, I had a list of errands to accomplish before the busy weekend ahead full of activities. I was moving full speed ahead. I made a stop at the gym to get a little light therapy. On my way in I crossed the path of a woman who had obviously just worked out. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. She looked so sad. We were moving in opposite directions. I heard the gentle, small voice of Holy Spirit, “Stop. Go encourage her.” For once, I listened. I turned and followed her to her car. “Ma’am, ma’am.” I yelled. She was already sitting in her very nice car with the window rolled up when I reached her. I motioned for her, and she hesitantly opened the door. “ Mam, I sorry to bother you. I wanted to tell you that you should be so proud of yourself and what you just did. Don’t be sad. Turn that frown upside down. Enjoy the day.” She smiled and said thanks. I pray that my words were as “sweet as honey to her soul.”
I know you are thinking, “What’s the big deal?” I listened. I stopped in my going. I loved on her with a little bit of the love of Jesus, That’s the big deal. I gave her “some honey” and made a difference in her day, but that is not the end of the story. When I entered the gym, a young, attractive guy spoke from behind me, “That was great what you did. Didn’t mean to listen in.” I questioned him. “Where did you come from? Oh, you overheard.” I don’t know where he came from. I had not seen him, but he had heard. I said, “Thanks.” He smiled, too. “I made a difference. You made it difference. We need to keep passing it on, right?” I exclaimed to him. The time of these encounters might have lasted 3-5 minutes, but they mattered. Lives were changed in little ways by the leading of Holy Spirit to “stop.”
I definitely enCOURAGE you to go “and whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.” (Col 3:17 NLT) Remember, follow Jesus’ example, and stop. The stop, the kind words, they bring healing. They bring love.
PS…Recently, some men and women who I view big in the kingdom of God have taken time to stop in their going. You may not know them by name, but they have been the “hands and feet of Jesus” to me. They have taken the time to listen. They have taken time to deliver much needed sweet words to this weary soul. Thanks to Pastor Scott Sheppard, Randy and April Lopshire, and Dutch Sheets. The stops with y’all were life changing, really.
Complete in Him 