Saturday, June 20, 2015

Daily Meditation: Right Living and Right Speaking

Henri Nouwen Society - Daily Meditation
Right Living and Right Speaking - from Henri Nouwen's Bread for the Journey

To be a witness for God is to be a living sign of God's presence in the world.  What we live is more important than what we say, because the right way of living always leads to the right way of speaking.   When we forgive our neighbours from our hearts, our hearts will speak forgiving words.  When we are grateful, we will speak grateful words, and when we are hopeful and joyful, we will speak hopeful and joyful words.

When our words come too soon and we are not yet living what we are saying, we easily give double messages.  Giving double messages - one with our words and another with our actions - makes us hypocrites.   May our lives give us the right words and may our words lead us to the right life.

- Henri J. M. Nouwen 

For further reflection ...

"I believed; therefore I spoke."  With that same spirit of faith we also believe and therefore speak... All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." - 2 Corinthians 4: 13, 15 (NIV)
Comment on this Daily Meditation.

Summer book discussion on "Finding My Way Home" starts June 28th. Join us!
 
Click here to purchase audio recording of Caregiving from the Heart seminar.
 
Visit our website for inspiration, resources, news, events, community.

Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter  Find us on Pinterest
Text excerpts taken from Bread for the Journey, by Henri J.M. Nouwen, ©1997 HarperSanFrancisco. All Scripture from The Jerusalem Bible ©1966, 1967, and 1968 Darton, Longman & Todd and Doubleday & Co. Inc. Photo by V. Dobson. Scripture chosen by L. Yeskoo.
Forward this Daily Meditation to a friend!

Safe Unsubscribe
This email was sent to cbgamb@gmail.com, by email_lists@henrinouwen.org
Henri Nouwen Society | PO Box 220522 | St. Louis | MO | 63122 | USA
Henri Nouwen Society | 95 St. Joseph Street, Room 214 | Toronto | ON | M5S 2R9 | Canada

No comments:

Post a Comment