Knowing what to say.....

When faced with difficult questions by our friends or listening to the situations they are experiencing we often are at a loss of words. We have this sense of helplessness sometimes because we don’t have the confidence in our answers or suggestions so we share nothing thinking we would not be correct. Who wants to give advice when you have that feeling of doubt? I went to Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth Texas, and there I had classes in both homiletics and hermeneutics. These words are ones that you will not hear often, if ever, from the pulpits of your church I would think. Not that they are bad words but rather because they are topics that generally are not discussed or shard from the pulpit, but are rather discussions from a classroom setting or small group gathering.
Homiletics is a class that teaches ministers about the application of Biblical theology. For me personally, homiletics is a favorite discussion and class of learning. I often write about the application of the Bible and if the words of Jesus do not apply to my life then I am one that questions why I would need Jesus at all. My Christians faith has a fundamental foundation that believes we must be able to apply His teachings or it makes no sense. Hermeneutics teaches pastor’s, ministers and Christians in general about how to interpret the Bible from a historical perspective using scripture as the bases for that interpretation. These types of studies are great keys to properly interpreting God’s Holy Word and I use their practice daily when talking with friends, family members and even those that I just meet or have been referred by others.
Giving advice is both scary and challenging but I have learned from reading the Bible daily and from learning how to recognize God’s voice in my ear and heart has helped me in helping others. Knowing who Jesus is and learning what His characteristics are has also helped me to help others with confidence that the advice I am sharing is actually not my opinion but His and that changes the advice we give totally.
We each have folks that we come in contact with daily, or weekly in some situations that we know are struggling and facing big mountains to climb. In stead of feeling helpless and without a advice you can share, why not simple share what you have found confidence in and let that be our answer or the help you share. I often say, I am not sure what to do, but this is what God’s word says, and I share the scripture or the passage that relates and I let the Holy Spirit do the rest.
To often we feel like we must provide a 3 step plan or a beginning and ending picture of what will happen before we share and that is not at all what the Bible says. Scripture teaches that it is no demonstration of faith if the requirement is that we must see to believe and for every situation I have ever dealt with the first issue is one of love. Feeling loved, knowing we are loved and demonstrating love to others comes from one source and one source only. “For God so loved the world” and that is the source I use and strongly recommend when faced with issues and situations that leave us hurting personally and that we see our friends and family members facing through this journey called life.
Faith and Love are two of the three greatest gift the world has ever know. It is not democracy or freedom of speech, it is the touch of the Master’s Hand and I am confident that is the only touch required to make the difference in your situation today.


Until then