What Needs to be Said

10.08.14

Luke 21.14-15 14 Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. – Jesus (ESV)

We need to think about Stephen who stood, not too many days after this, and spoke to the Jewish Sanhedrin. Stephen didn’t defend his beliefs, but reminded his Jewish brethren of what the Word of God said. As a result, they were filled with rage, and ‘cut to the quick’, they hauled him outside and pummeled him with stones (the bigger the better) to a bloody pulp and he died. Jesus helped him to say what needed to be said. His last words were, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” Grace.

We need also to think about Paul who was told by the Spirit of Jesus, “Take courage, for as you have testified to the facts about me in Jerusalem, so you must testify also in Rome.” (Acts 23.11) And though we don’t have the narrative of what Paul told Nero, we know according to the remainder of the account in Acts, Paul went to Rome to stand before Caesar. And Jesus told him what he needed to say…

I have thought about my own life and how I think (hope) it will end. My preference is to be speaking of Jesus when I reach my final moments. A preference will most likely be attained if it is already an established habit in life. And speaking of Jesus, He said He’ll be on hand to help me to say what needs to be said.

I deal with all kinds of people all the time. I always want to tell them something that will be of benefit to them. I’m learning, however, that it is better to ask questions than it is to tell statements. It is harder to ask questions because I so want to come alongside and give all the answers. But answers arrived at one’s own conclusions are answers that are far more likely to remain. My statements usually end up somewhere in the neighborhood of: Now, what was it he said about that!?

Lord, today I must wait upon You to help me what to say what needs to be said as I deal with people. I must learn to ask more caring and probing questions in order to uncover their needs so that as I deal with them, they may come to the best conclusions You have for them in their matters of life. I pray for the Holy Spirit to give me ‘utterance’ this day so that His life changes may find root in the soil of people’s lives. Use me Lord. Teach me to wait upon You. Amen.