You Have the Power
Every person on the planet needs significance, acceptance and approval. You have the power to give it to them. Today!
You and I are surrounded by people who are struggling with feelings of insignificance and rejection. We can change that if we take a few minutes to notice, to care and to affirm them.
Make the Decision. Choose 1 Person to Affirm Today.
Today, I am going to give someone significance.
I’m going to give someone acceptance.
I’m going to endorse someone, approve of them – validate them.
Words Can Hurt. Words can Heal.
You know how words can hurt. You’ve been cut to the bone by words. Words have bruised and battered you. The power of death is in the tongue. Now, the good news. Your tongue can bring life and healing.
The tongue has the power of life…. Proverbs 18:21
Some people make cutting remarks, but the words of the wise bring healing. Proverbs 12:18 (NLT)
What do you see?
Anyone can look at you or me and see what’s wrong with us. To affirm people, we need to see beyond the obvious flaws and wrong in a person. And that’s not always easy.
My friend, Tony Stoltzfus, observes that there are three basic types of affirmation:
- what someone did in the past,
- someone’s potential for the future, and
- someone’s identity (now).
Affirming past actions is the least powerful because you are simply talking about actions – what they did, not who they are.
Affirming someone’s future potential can be powerful, but it is in the future.
To greatly impact someone, affirm who you see they are – their identity.
Gideon Was a Wimp. God Saw a Warrior.
Gideon was hiding from the invaders of his land when the angel talked to Him. Gideon saw himself as the wimpiest guy in his family and his family as from the weakest clan in Israel. God called Gideon a warrior. God affirmed Gideon as a mighty man. Gideon became a mighty warrior.
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, “The LORD is with you, mighty warrior.” Judges 6:12
“Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”
The LORD answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.” Judges 6: 15-16 (NIV)
God changed Abram’s (exalted father) name to Abraham (father of many nations) ten years before Abraham became a father. Every time someone called Abraham, it was an affirmation of who he was. “Father of Many Nations, how are you today?” “Father of Many Nations, we need to move the sheep to a new pasture.”
God sent an angel to tell Daniel he was “highly esteemed”. God even affirmed Jesus, the obscure carpenter who had not yet begun his ministry. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. God affirmed Jesus to the crowd, to John the Baptist and those words were for Jesus too. Everyone needs to be affirmed.
God Wants You to Affirm Others
Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. Hebrews 10:24 (NLT)
Ready, Set, Go!
- Find someone who needs the healing, life-giving power of your affirmation. It’s not hard; look around you.
- What do you see that would affirm how awesome they are?
- Better yet, ask Jesus: “Jesus, how do you see (person’s name)? How do you want me to affirm them?” (Get quiet. Listen. You will have an impression, think of a scripture, hear or see something. Jesus will answer that prayer!!)
- Find that person. Open your mouth and give them significance, acceptance, and approval.
- Share what you did and how it impacted them in a comment below. (Change names and details to protect their privacy.)
Today, the world just became a better place because YOU were in it.
About Dave Milford
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