Speak Life

I found the following story at Crystal Reflections but I have added a little to it.

Frog Story

A group of frogs were traveling through the woods and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out.

When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

This story teaches several lessons:

1. There is power of life and death in the tongue.

An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say.

2. Speak life to those who cross your path.

The power of words....it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times.

3. You can choose to listen to those who speak death or to those who speak life.

4. You can choose to be the one who speaks death or the one who speaks life.

Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

Be special to others.

I think there is one final lesson to this story:  Act as if you are deaf to those who speak words of discouragement but come to life to those who speak words of encouragement.

1 Thessalonians 5: 11
So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it.