Words.

Could there be anything more powerful than words? Seriously. Imagine one day without words—neither hearing them nor speaking them. And no reading and writing.  Imagine school if language did not exist. How would we teach anyone anything? What if our whole existence were gestures and rudimentary signs (sign language WITHOUT words or letters). Imagine the topics we could not discuss! I think about that when I talk to the dogs—they answer every comment with a bark or something equally limited. Thank God for the AMAZING gift of language!

Do you know the story of Balaam? A friend younger than I am substituted at a youth Bible Study when I was a senior. He taught on Balaam and I was shocked! The Bible had a story about a talking donkey, and I had never heard it?! None of us had! 

Here’s the part that gets me. Balaam was not a godly man, but he absolutely refused to say anything different from what God told him to say. Though he was hired to curse Israel, he consistently said, “I can only speak the words the Lord puts in my heart.” Over and over he said that.

Balak, king of Moab, took him to FOUR locations, each time hoping Balaam would curse Israel; each time the blessing that Balaam came up with was greater than the previous blessing. In the end, Balaam spoke five great blessings over Israel and spoke several curses over Moab. Why? Because Balaam refused to say one word that was inconsistent with the words God gave him. Balak was outraged and Balaam explained:

“How shall I curse whom God hath not cursed? Or how shall I defy whom the Lord hath not defied?” Numbers 23:8

Dear God, fill us with INTEGRITY! May our words be as true to Your heart as Balaam’s. May we honor You with language! Make us silent when we want to speak words that injure. Give us courage to boldly bless those whom You would bless. Stop us from blessing sins that You have cursed. Give us respect for silence. Amen.

Read Numbers, chapters 22-24 to learn about the talking donkey!

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