You know those phrases that you hear people say, and they say it or type it often enough that it sort of becomes their “phrase”? Come on, you know the ones. You may not have thought much about those phrases, but they have. They have thought through ending something they have written with it, or ending a conversation with it. They have thought through it because it’s kind of a cool thing.

For the last few months I have thought about it. I know it’s a little weird, and maybe even stupid, but guess what? This is my blog, so I get to decide stuff. I have thought about a “phrase” that I want to be associated with eventually, and decided that it will be “be peaced”. Sure “peaced” isn’t a word, but I love the idea.

“Be Peaced”, as in “I am encouraging you to have peace in whatever you do. Not just ‘don’t fight’, but have peace in your life. ‘Be peaced’ by something greater than you. I hope you find that you find peace from stress, anger, insecurity, fear, hopelessness, and sadness. ‘Be peaced’ from anything that is causing you to not be peaced.” It’s not like I can really make that happen in your life, but I like the idea of it. So that’s my phrase. Sound good?

What’s a phrase that you have heard numerous times that you would love to align yourself with? What phrase would you want to communicate to people consistently enough that it becomes “your phrase”?

-be peaced-

I heard the other day that the phrase “build up” was used in the New Testament thirty-nine times. I haven’t had time to confirm all thirty-nine, but I’m starting. Thirty-nine seems like a pretty substantial amount. I mean it doesn’t mention it once then drop it. It keeps repeating it… thirty-nine times…

“Build Up”, as in “the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down.”- 2 Cor 13:10
-or-
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”- Ephesians 4:29
-or-
“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”-1 Thessalonians 5:11

I’m a pretty cynical guy, there’s no doubt about that. I think we all know how much easier it is to tear someone down than it is to lift them up, especially when it requires you lifting them above yourself. I heard a sermon the other day that had nothing to do with building people up, but when the pastor mentioned that there were thirty nine references to “building up” it made me stop and think about why. It also made me start to wonder how many people I build up. How many people do I proclaim are doing a great job? How many people do I talk about in my everyday life and genuinely build them up? Do I build my wife up for everything she does? Do I build my kids up for the things they are learning and accomplishing?

Obviously there was in Biblical times, and I believe now, a pretty common theme among Christians tearing each other down far more than they are building each other up. Even as I read different blogs, the far more common posted about (my blog included) is the negative state of the church and the negative state of people in general. We have this forum now where we are allowed to preach our beliefs to anyone who will listen and we focus on the things that are wrong. And some of us are right. Some of us know what we are talking about and have studied and come to some pretty amazing conclusions. Some of us have every right to point fingers at these ne’er do wells, sort of like Paul had the right to… but then he says this and messes the whole thing up.

“We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”- 1 Corinthians 8:1

I want to try something. (and it’s pretty early in the morning so I don’t know how good of an idea this is) I want today to be “Positive Post Tuesday”. Let’s today, all write something on our blogs that builds another person up. Someone who is doing an amazing job at something, or someone that is changing the world around them by living the way they are supposed to, or someone that you feel needs building up and deserves it. Write about them and comment here with the post address to your blog. Then at the end of the day we can all go through the links and check them out. Sound good?

Euphrony, this might cross the gender blogging line, but don’t worry, I will post something manly later in the week… maybe we can have “Hunting Talk Friday” or something for balance.

Ready? Go.