Sparkle From the Inside Out | February 1st, 2016

I love the hunt for sparkly, vintage costume jewelry that I can use to repurpose into wearable pieces for today. To me, the more sparkly the better.

Some of the pieces I find are incredibly beautiful but may have a rhinestone or two that have become darkened, or what are considered “dead” stones.

In order for these pieces of jewelry to get their sparkle back completely, the dull, dead stones must be replaced with those that are bright and clear. I keep a collection of perfect, sparkly vintage stones in all shapes, sizes, and colors on hand for that very purpose.

Your Words Can Zap Your Sparkle

You can end up having your own sparkle zapped by the words that come out of your mouth. Do you find yourself complaining to others about all the things you don’t have or maybe even about the things you do have? Do you often argue, fighting to always be the one who is right?

Negative words are just like those dead stones. When you speak them out loud, they completely zap your sparkle, especially to those listening around you.

Paul writes in his letter to the Christians at the church that he and his companions started at Philippi:

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky… Philippians 2:14-15

Change Begins with a Transformed Heart

Replacing those negative, sparkle-zapping words first requires a transformation of your heart. Why? Because what comes out of your mouth is an overflow of what is in your heart.

For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. Matthew 12:34b

Sparkle must radiate from the inside out. When you choose to follow Christ, your heart is changed by God’s grace and power. You may still struggle at times with speaking words that definitely do not have even a glimmer of sparkle, but it is a process that takes time to see your heart transform into one that truly desires to reflect Him in the words you speak. He is there to help you each step of the way with this transformation process because it’s impossible to do it on your own. When you find yourself fighting the battle with words, simply ask Him for His help and He will freely give it to you.

Think Before You Speak

Ephesians 4:29 includes “unwholesome talk” as another way your words can represent those dead stones:

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. 

This is such a great verse to memorize and ponder before opening your mouth to gossip, slander, criticize, or spout off a few curse words. None of those forms of unwholesome talk build others up or benefit those around you who are listening!

Scientifically speaking, did you know your words can negatively affect you personally as well? According to Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman in their book, Words Can Change Your Brain, they write that a single negative word can increase the activity in the amygdala (the fear center of the brain). This releases dozens of stress-producing hormones and neurotransmitters, interrupting the brain’s functioning by impairing logic, reason, language processing, and communication! It pays to think before you speak.

Sweet as Honey

King Solomon, who was greater in wisdom than all the other kings of the earth, knew the incredible impact of positive words when he wrote:

Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24

Spiritual Sparklers

Sparkler #1: Prayer

Ask God to transform your heart so the words you speak will positively sparkle, reflecting Christ in your life.

Sparkler #2: Action

Memorize Ephesians 4:29 to keep this verse in your heart so it will come to mind before any unwholesome talk comes out of your mouth.

Sparkler #3: Challenge

Take the next week to be extra aware of the words you speak. At the end of each day, reflect on how you think they might have come across to those around you. Did they seem to be more negative like those dull, dead stones or were they mostly positive like the stones that clearly sparkle? See if the words you choose improve a little more each day as you become more and more aware of how they are communicated to others.

*Honeycomb – photo credit: Merdal at Turkish Wikipedia

Kimberly Moore is a blogger, speaker, and author of Beauty in a Life Repurposed and Kingdom Sparkle. To learn more, visit her website at kingdomsparkle.com.

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