‘Every time you come into my shop, I sell more than I have ever sold and I cant wait to have you come in, as it changes the situation in my shop. You are a born sales success’, this was my auntie’s continuous statement to me, whenever I go on holidays and spend some little time with her in a different town from where I grew up. That would not have meant anything if I came from a home where my parents were into trading, but I come from a home of intellectuals and neither of my parents were involved with any form of selling. They had a career and were pursuing it. That was all I knew about development, i.e. read, get a job and do it faithfully till you retire.

This statement from my aunt became a springboard for many retail activities in my life. While on my very 1st job as a professional accountant, together with my fiancé (now husband), we saw various business opportunities that did not relate to our line of career, but went for it and did it anyway. I remember selling aprons to some banking executives and making very valuable profits. After our wedding, there was huge economic crisis in my country and we saw the opportunity of getting crates of eggs on wholesale, which we then sell at retail price. This business tidied us up so well throughout the tough times, we eventually got so much profit that we got a stall in an open market and bought a grinding machine…. (A big mechanical blender). After this, there had been many more opportunities we have asked God about, and gone for, as He led us.

What if my auntie never voiced her opinion when I was 12 years old? What if her opinion was different, supposing she said ‘you are hopeless at selling/ you cannot sell anything to anyone/ you bring losses every time you sell or come to my shop etc’ maybe I would have believed it and gone for it. I did not have the experience but I heard words, believed the words and it determined many more ventures in future. Words that are planted into us create different reactions and they are lasting ones. They either lift us up or pull us down. They never leave a man or woman neutral.

This reminded me of the covert operation Moses sent 12 leaders on while the children of Israel were on a mission to take over the land. 11 of them came back with negative report, and Caleb said differently, Numbers 13:30-33 showed that but the area I would like to address today is the reaction of the people to the words they heard.

Numbers 14 1-4

That night all the people of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. 2 All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, “If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this desert! 3 Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” 4 And they said to each other, “We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt.”

Firstly, the words they heard made them so sad they cried all night, and then they grumbled against their leaders and then God. They wished they had died! And then they chose to change course and direction, forgetting all God had done in the past and they wanted TO GO BACK! The words they heard on one occasion determined the next 40 years of their lives.

Words do build or bring down. You might have heard some words this week that could build you up for life or make you struggle and even change course sometimes. It could be words targeting your faith, creating fear in you, or self-doubt, or low self esteem. It could be words talking about how great you are or how bad your decisions have been. Whatever the words you have heard this week is, God is still a good God and as we lean on Him and His words, He speaks to us, directs us and upholds us.

We also need to be careful the words we speak into other people’s lives today and everyday, as the words you speak could also equally determine how far someone will go in life.

Today, make a conscious decision never to bring down with words anymore, but to BUILD UP with your words!

God is on your side!

I'm a Digital Strategist and a contributor for TN Lounge.com

Source: http://www.tnlounge.com/2316/when-tough-days-come