Last week, we discussed the importance of evaluating the lyrical content of our worship music in and beyond our student ministries. The truth is that words matter in every area of life. What we hear and say is powerful and impactful. I think about some of my father’s last words before he passed: “I’m proud of you. I love you.” I am so thankful that I was able to hear him share those with me. I have carried those words with me for the last 15 years and will continue for the remainder of my days.
Whether good or bad, the words we share with others stick, even those made in jest. I remember joking with one of my students. We were serving our church members by raking and bagging leaves. After the 30th bag or so, we were all getting a little loopy. One of the young ladies was standing in a trash bag. I jokingly called her “Trashy.” She laughed. It was not one of my finer moments. While I didn’t scar her for life (she is now a mother, teacher and the wife of a youth pastor), she did mention it years after the fact. That is the power of words.
We must remember that our students are at a unique place in their lives. They hear our words and remember. I think about the words of encouragement my high school band director would share with us. She would tell us to make sure that “our ducks were in a row” when we were prepping for any trip or activity. I remember the encouraging words of my journalism advisor, Becky Froning, and others.
If our words matter, what shape should they take? What should we focus on? We don’t need to sound like platitude machines, but there are things that words should embody:
• Our words should be full of truth. Our students need to hear words of truth from their student ministry workers, pastors and fellow church members. It is our responsibility to share with them the truthful words of Scripture. Our words may not be popular with our students or others, but we don’t need to shy away from the truth. Glossing over the hard things in life doesn’t help anyone.
• Our words should be full of encouragement. I grew up in an encouraging household, but that may not be the case for the students in your life. My parents never called me stupid or put me down. They always sought to build me up. I was blessed. A simple “You can do this” from their youth pastor or caring adult in the church can make all the difference in a student’s life. Ephesians 4:29 (ESV) sums it up for us, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
• Our words should be full of love. Nothing is quite as sweet as hearing “I love you” from your child. When our son was just a little guy, we would tell him we loved him as we tucked him in. He would respond with “I too.” It was three-year-old Riley’s way of saying, “I love you.” While saying “I love you” is important, a spirit of “I love you” must inhabit all our words aimed at students. That love will influence our words of truth and encouragement.
Our students need words of truth, encouragement and love. Will we be the ones to give to the young people in our lives?
