Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
and those who love it will eat its fruits.
–Proverbs 18:21
A few decades ago, the Texas Rangers baseball team had a great catcher by the name of Jim Sundberg. Aside from being a member of the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame, Jim is a powerful witness for Christ. One day, as Jim spoke to inmates at a local prison, he was asked, “What made you great?”
He told the men, “My dad… was the ultimate encourager. When I was little, I had a great arm. I could throw the ball through a wall, but I had a hard time hitting the wall. But instead of jumping on me, my dad encouraged me. I guess I just fulfilled my father’s expectations, who believed in me.”
About that time, one of the prisoners stood up and said, “Well, I fulfilled my dad’s expectations of me, too. All he told me my whole life was what a loser I was… how I couldn’t do anything right and I’d end up in jail someday.”
Parents, your words have power over your kids. And you can either speak words of encouragement that lift them up, or you can tear them down with what you say. The choice is up to you. Encourage your kids, and they will rise beyond your expectations!
SPEAK WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT OVER YOUR KIDS, AND THEY’LL RISE ABOVE AND BEYOND YOUR EXPECTATIONS.
