Walking with the Wise #66: What Goes Around Comes Around

 “The lips of the righteous feed many,

but fools die for lack of sense.” 

—Proverbs 10:21

What goes around comes around. As we cultivate our relationship with God, our thoughts, words, attitudes and actions will change. The more we grow in our walk with Christ, the more we will become like Him. As we read, meditate and apply His Word to our hearts, we are able to accurately identify sin, repent of it, and forsake it. We begin to want to do that which God delights in, which means our speech will inevitably be transformed.

Words are more powerful than the forces of nature, because words have the potential of building up or destroying lives. They can inspire or depress, empower or discourage. But the more we begin to look like Christ, the more we sound like Him, and we will quickly discover that others long to be near us as we speak the truth in love and use our words to build up and help others to pursue a more intimate walk with the Savior. And their words will feed the souls of many who are hungry to hear truth spoken in love, words that seek the benefit of the listener. In other words, what goes around comes around. For the believer who is living a life in accordance with God’s Word, they will find their words coming back to them to benefit their own soul.

Consider for a moment the words of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892). Known as the “Prince of Preachers,” Spurgeon’s sermons were printed around the world during his own lifetime. His words were powerful and served to touch many people—including himself. I’ll let one of his biographers explain:

“One of the most beautiful and positive incidents of the plagiarism of Spurgeon occurred in Charles’ own experience. As has been noted, Spurgeon at times fell into despondency and depression. His depression would even run so deep on occasion that he would begin to question his own relationship to God, and if he truly had been saved. Once, in such a state, he walked into a small chapel to spend an hour in worship with the people, unknown to the congregation and to the preacher as well. In the grace of God, the pastor preached one of Spurgeon’s sermons on the assurance of faith. Spurgeon, deeply and profoundly touched, said that he ‘made my handkerchief wet with my tears’ as God spoke to him through the message and gave him the full assurance of faith. When the service concluded, Charles went to the pastor and expressed how profoundly grateful he was for the message and how it had touched his life. The pastor asked who he might be. One can imagine the embarrassment when he found out that Charles Haddon Spurgeon was the visitor. As Charles expressed it, the pastor ‘turned all manner of colors.’ The good preacher said, very sheepishly, ‘Oh, Mr. Spurgeon, that was your sermon.’ Spurgeon in his typical gracious and Christlike demeanor replied, ‘Yes, I know, but wasn’t it gracious of the Lord to feed me with the food that I had prepared for others’”—Lewis Drummond, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers, p. 327-328.

Spurgeon’s words fed many souls, including his own. How about your words? Do they feed many? Are others edified by your speech? What can others tell about Christ from hearing you talk? Let your words direct others to the Savior, not to the passing pleasures of sin. Don’t let Satan use your conversation to short-circuit your testimony, but like Spurgeon, let God bless others through your words. Focus on Christ, fill your heart with His Word, and then you will see your heart overflow to others so that when you speak, others will see the Savior. Amen.