And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another. (Romans 15:14 – NASB95)
The Apostle Paul wrote those words to a church he did not start and up to that point of time had not even visited. Yet he was able to say that he knew because of the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, they were personally able to “admonish one another.” To admonish is to instruct, teach, or correct behavior and beliefs. The Greek word is the basis for the term “Nouthetic” Counseling. Some have said it means “to put sense into someone’s head.” It is to encourage right thinking and correct wrong thinking so people will live according to God’s Word and bring Him greater glory. Paul doesn’t tell the believers in Rome how to do this, but I believe his own example and the verses immediately following give us one great way to do it: write letters.
In my two most recent newsletter articles, I encouraged you to be careful with your words: 1) T.H.I.N.K. before you speak to avoid gossip or slander. 2) Save your words until you have: completely listened; allowed your strong emotions to pass; and have carefully considered what you will say and how you will say it. One of the best ways I have found to do that is to put your words in writing.
There is power in the written word. English author Edward Bulwer-Lytton created a play in 1839 entitled, “Richelieu, Or the Conspiracy.” In it is a now famous quote: “The pen is mightier than the sword.” It means that the written word is more effective than violence as a means of social or political change. Three reasons why the written word can be so powerful: 1) We have time to PONDER what we will say. 2) We can be PRECISE in our communication. 3) The words are recorded and are therefore PERMANENT. They can be reflected upon many times by the reader and even passed on to future generations.
Carefully chosen written words can be used by God in mighty ways. They can have a profound influence on individuals, families, churches, and nations. This is something that all of us can do no matter what our age or station in life.
The Bible has much to say about the power of spoken words (see Prov. 25:11; 15:1; Eph. 4:29-32). But the Bible itself demonstrates the power of written words. It is God’s inspired love letter to His people and has blessed people for thousands of years. Think of the Psalms that so honestly address trials and personal struggles and help us resolve them using God’s wisdom (i.e. Ps. 73). Think of the book of Esther where Haman tricked the king to write a letter telling the people of the land to annihilate the Jews (chapter 3). But Mordecai and Esther got the king to write a follow-up letter telling the Jews they had the right to defend themselves by annihilating anyone who tried to harm them (chapter 8). Their response to receiving that letter is in Esther 8:16-17 – 16 For the Jews there was light and gladness and joy and honor. 17 In each and every province and in each and every city, wherever the king’s commandment and his decree arrived, there was gladness and joy for the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many among the peoples of the land became Jews, for the dread of the Jews had fallen on them. Think of Acts 15 when there was doctrinal confusion about how Gentiles could be saved. The Apostles & Elders wrote a letter explaining that salvation was by grace alone through faith alone, not works. Look at the response of the Gentiles when that letter was read to them: Acts 15:30–31 (NASB95) – 30 So when they were sent away, they went down to Antioch; and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31 When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. Think of the inspired letters Paul wrote to specific individuals (Philemon, Timothy, and Titus). The Lord used those letters in the lives of those men and in the lives of people who have read them for centuries.
My mother-in-law, Marilyn Austin, died in March. At her memorial service in April, my daughter Hannah read from a few letters she received from her grandmother that impacted her deeply. We were all impacted by the wisdom that was shared in those letters that Hannah will keep for the rest of her life.
When I was growing up, I was a very selfish person. I expected my parents to be all about my needs and desires. They did a lot for me, but I rarely took the opportunity to say thank you. My junior year in high school, my mother was dying of lung cancer. On Easter Sunday I heard the gospel presented and committed my life to Christ. Jesus opened my eyes to see that my life was about Him first, and then others. I started attending church regularly as well as Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). During my senior year in high school our FCA leader challenged us to write a letter to our parents expressing love & gratitude for all that they do for us. I was convicted. I wrote a letter to my dad that night expressing how sorry I was for being so selfish. I thanked him for all the things he did for me and asked him to forgive me for not expressing it sooner. He didn’t often say the words, “I love you,” so I ended the letter by saying, “I love you dad!” He was out late that night, so I put the letter on his pillow and went to bed. He came into my room in the middle of the night with tears in his eyes, holding the letter, and said, “I love you, son.” We hugged and cried. Our relationship from that day in 1976 until the day he died on Dec. 14, 2012, was profoundly changed for the better.
I have believed in the power of cards and letters to encourage people and let them know they are loved (one of the reasons I send birthday and anniversary cards to all the adult members of our church every year). There is no end to the varied content of letters we can write: challenge and help in a specific area of struggle; confrontation for specific sin and a call to repentance (see public letter by John MacArthur to Governor Gavin Newsom – https://www.gty.org/library/blog/B220928/an-open-letter-to-governor-newsom); encouragement to forgive someone (see Philemon); confession of sin against the recipient of the letter and asking for forgiveness and reconciliation; offering forgiveness to someone who has offended you; share the Gospel message (see Luke / Acts written to a man named Theophilus so he would be convinced of the gospel; see also John 20:30-31); encourage a believer and offer assurance that they are genuinely saved (1 John 1:4; 5:12-13); provide counsel for someone, especially when they aren’t open to face-to-face confrontation. In that case, you can write them expressing your love for them and concern about an area of their life. You can give them biblical content to prayerfully consider and let them know you are available to talk about it whenever they are ready. Then pray for the Holy Spirit to work in their heart and make them open to a conversation that could profoundly change their life for the better.
Although I started this newsletter with the concept of admonishment, written notes can also be a profound source of encouragement. Oh, how the world needs more encouragers! Encouraging notes to government leaders who lead our nation toward righteousness and first responders who put their lives on the line for us daily. And of course, notes of gratitude to church leaders during Pastor Appreciation Month (October). One of the most encouraging things you could write about is godly character (Christlikeness). I received a letter (40+ years ago) from a friend from college after we moved away from each other. She told me how much our friendship meant to her and concluded the letter with a poem. I don’t know where she found it, but at the time I needed to hear it. It obviously had a profound impact on my life because I think about it often and on occasion pull it out and read it over again.
“Friend”
When first we met, I knew there was something very special about you – I saw Jesus in you! You showed me kindness like I never knew, you are tender and understanding, you give of yourself like people seldom do. You gave of your time even when there was much to do. I see Jesus in you.
So many times, you should have sent me away, but deep inside I think you knew, Jesus was at work in me too. The many times I filled your life with problems, with patience you endured. With kind and loving words you always forgave. I see Jesus in you. The trials were tough and perhaps not due, but as long as I see Jesus in you, He will get me through. No one on earth has a better friend than the friend I find in you. For the friend I see loves me more than any mere man. My friend I see Jesus in you. You showed me the one thing in life worth striving for, is the one thing I see in you. To have someone someday to say, “My friend, I see Jesus in you!”
Prayerfully consider how you might use the written word to impact the life of people you know. Ponder carefully what you want to say. Write it and re-write it until it is precisely what you want to say. Understand that it is permanent and could be useful not only now but also to future generations. Your letters can be used of God to impact individuals, families, churches, and even nations for His glory. So, pull out pen and paper and start writing.