"Balcony Or Basement?"

"How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying."  1 Corinthians 14:26

 

I heard a preacher a while back make a statement about "balcony people" and "basement people".  Then he defined what each was.  A balcony person is one who edifies others- he lifts them up, encourages them and brings them up to a higher level.  A basement person is one who is the opposite- he pulls people down, he belittles them, speaks negative words and discourages.  What he said about these two was so powerful-- I haven't forgotten it.  I am constantly asking myself which one am I.

 

Which one are you?  Are you a balcony person?  Do your words minister and build up?  Or are you a basement person? Do your words pull down to a low level?  I believe we all have a tendency to be "both".  There are times when we encourage and times when we discourage.  There are times we speak positive uplifting words and times when we speak negative destructive words. 

 

You know, you can't live in the basement and on the balcony at the same time.  We have the tendency to go back and forth between the two, but we have to decide where we are going to "live".  Even though I don't always succeed at it, I want to be a balcony person.  I want to live in a higher place.  I want to speak words that lift others to a higher place.  I want to bring others up.  There is enough negative in the world.  There is enough criticism out there.  There is enough "dog eat dog", slander, belittling, beating down, bad news, discouraging reports, complaining and murmuring, depressing words all around us.  Why don't we stop being among those that use their mouths in that way. 

 

Let the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to the Lord.  Let the law of kindness be in our mouths.  Let words of faith come from our lips.  Let words that help, encourage, bring hope and peace, and words of life proceed from our mouths.  We should talk the same way Jesus talked.  We should answer the same way Jesus would.  He should fill our mouths with what to speak.  He should take over our conversations.  We should let Holy Spirit direct our words as well as our thoughts and actions. Whatever good we can find to say, we should say it.  When we have to speak words of correction, those words of truth should be spoken in love, not criticism or condemnation that will destroy. 

 

Have a great day.  Are you a balcony person or a basement person?