Youth Worker BOOST: Heartfelt Words

ym360 knows youth workers. We know what an incredibly rewarding, yet incredibly challenging job youth ministry can be. There are days when your spirits are sky-high, and there are days when you could use a bit of a “pick me up” from God's Word . . . That's why we're happy to offer Youth Worker Boost, one of the many valuable resources on the ym360 Blog.

Boost is a short, weekly piece of encouragement designed to, well, “boost” your spirits and encourage you as you minister to students. We consider it yet another great opportunity to serve you and your ministry.

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"But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’"--Matthew 15:18

“Students Get Expelled For Comments About Principal”

“Teacher In Trouble For Venting About Students”

“Airline Workers Fired For Derogatory Comments About Passengers”

“Study Shows Relationships Suffer Due To Negative Comments”

You’ve just read four headlines from real news stories. And they all have one thing in common. In each situation, the comments that led to trouble were all posted on social media sites. But that’s not that hard to believe these days, is it?

Never has it been so easy for words to get people in trouble than it is today.

Thanks to texting and social media, whether it’s a quick vent or a deliberate slander, words posted are powerful things. As those who work with youth, we have to be diligent about how we think about this type of communication. But this isn’t a new issue . . . While Jesus obviously didn’t have access to our technology, He did address the problem in His audience. And He knew exactly how to identify the source of the problem.

Jesus said what comes out of our mouths is indicative of what is in our hearts. The problem isn’t communication tools of the 21st century, but the sinful heart problem that started with Adam and Eve. As you go throughout your day, be aware of the words you speak. Think about whether they build up, or tear down. Be honest with yourself. If you hear yourself speaking words that aren’t Christ-like, ask yourself: what is the condition of my heart?

To clean up the mouth we must first clean up the heart. Confess your sin to God, ask the Holy Spirit to convict you, and embrace the pure love of God that lives in and through you.

Our prayer for you: Our prayer for you today is that you would realize the power of your words, both for good and for bad, and the importance of a heart that is right with God. We pray that each of us would be reminded of God's love in a powerful way, and that we would draw nearer to Him as a result.

Last Week's BOOST: Affirmation

Next Week's BOOST: Listen Up

Get more BOOST articles HERE!