Words are Necessary

Note: This month I’m posting a series of devotional thoughts from Acts. Many of these are reposts, some are new. I’m “working out the kinks” for submission to a compilation of short, pastoral writings in Acts to be published later this year. If you have suggestions, corrections, or comments, please let me know!

“Preach the gospel at all times, when necessary use words”

This quote is often attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Whoever said it really scratched quite a few people where they were itching. As a response to words that have been overused and cheapened, folks are crying out for authentic lives—they are hoping for people, especially leaders, who are filled with the Spirit and who are living like they are filled with the Spirit, not just talking about it.

And that kind of living really works! Our lives will give off a pleasing aroma that will attract people to Christ. When bringing fresh-out-of-the-oven brownies to work, you don’t have to try hard to cause others to salivate and yearn for that fresh-baked gooey wonderfulness; when living right for Jesus, people will want what you have.

But giving away what you have must include using words. The good news was perfectly lived and modeled by Jesus, but it was also perpetually proclaimed by Him. Preaching the good news was a huge part of His mission, and it has to be a big part of ours, too. Jesus was the Living Word and with the Gospel, words are a huge part of salvation and life transformation (Romans 10:9).

When we limit our sharing of the Gospel to our actions, and we use words only sparingly, it’s like we’re saying: “Feed hungry people as much as possible, when necessary use food”

In Acts 7 we find that Stephen had been seized because of his authentic life that was “full of grace and power” (6:8). But we also see that he had been using words and would continue to do so. This was so important, in fact, that he would continue to preach the gospel using words in a long sermon until they finally killed him because of it.

I think that we like this quote so much because we are sometimes afraid to use words. We like the idea that we can live a good life without too deep a level of courage, and that eventually our friends and family and coworkers will ask us a big softball question like “whats so different about you?…I want whatever you have.”

But living and preaching the Gospel always takes courage. Always! There is no courage-free way to share the Gospel, whether through words or deeds. In fact, living the Gospel right will often take even more courage than speaking it. In Stephen’s case, preaching the Gospel included “doing great signs and wonders among the people.”

So let’s be ready to manifest supernatural lives which require us to use words that will express and explain what God is doing through us.