“Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain!” – Dale Carnegie

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. (Proverbs 18:21)

It’s amazing that the words we speak actually have the power of life (and death). The Proverb above teaches that the words we speak are actually seed-bearing entities because they bear fruit. Hence, our words follow the 4 laws of sowing and reaping [http://www.alifeofblessing.org/content.cfm?id=2067] previously discussed on July 6 and 7.

The very first chapter of the Bible (Genesis 1) describes how God spoke the world into existence. We also create our own realities with the words that we speak.

When we bless people with our thoughts and words, we speak life into their lives. When we criticize, condemn, or complain, we speak death into lives and situations. The more we keep our commitments and let our “yes” be “yes” and our “no” be “no”, the greater power our words have to create life and hope.

In July 1999, at the age of 39, I left Culpeper Hospital after working there full-time for 12 years as an anesthesiologist. I had spent a year trying to work out an agreement with my former anesthesia associate to cut back to part-time, but failed. In retrospect, I was burned out with the call, emergency cases, hospital politics, etc.

It turned out that God rescued me, my family, and my career by jerking me away from my busy lifestyle. During this mid-life crisis, I began searching for truth and the meaning of life. And in that process, I met Jesus and surrendered my life to Him. That was the best decision I ever made.

In August 1999, I took my family to Olympia Washington to visit my brother and his wife, Diane Peck. She recommended that I read the book “How To Win Friends and Influence People,” written by Dale Carnegie and first published in 1936. Diane’s brother, Bill Walkiewicz, had taught courses for Carnegie Institute for 6 years.

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” quickly became one of my favorite books. The book cover claims “it’s the first and still the best book of its kind to lead you to success.” This excellent book explains 30 different principles for winning friends and influencing people. The very first principle is “Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain!”

Are you choosing words that speak life into your marriage, your family, your job?
Do you criticize, condemn, or complain?

Prayer Power
Father, you say that “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” (Luke 6:45). Therefore, I ask You to fill my heart with good treasure, so that I will speak words of life. May I bless and not curse people I know and meet, even my enemies. Bless those who read this message with good treasure in their hearts. Thank You Jesus. Amen.

Link of the Day
Principles on How to Win Friends and Influence People
 
Your Daily Blessing News
Tomorrow we will discuss the importance of our thoughts, which affect the words we speak and ultimately determine our destiny.

Other Sites of Interest: Dale Carnegie Training [www.dalecarnegie.com]