Listen! I love Snoopy. He’s kind of a hero…at least as much as a cartoon character can be.
He embraces life and all his passions. He’s a writer like me and he loves rootbeer, like me. He’s completely comfortable with who he is and he doesn’t try to hide his true self.
Proverbs 18:21 tells us the words of our mouth have the power of life and death.
And Luke 6:45 says that what has been stored up in your hearts will be heard in the overflow of your words!
The words that come from our mouth start as a thought and reveal what we believe. And what we believe shapes our reality. It’s a cycle that starts with our thoughts, which then manifests in our words and actions.
That’s why Proverbs 4:23 tells us above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. What we put in front of ourselves is so very important.
So, how do we guard our hearts and minds in a world filled with carelessly used words and negativity?
So, how do we guard our hearts and minds in a world filled with negativity?
Philippians 4:8 offers a guide—fix your thoughts on what is authentic, honorable, and praiseworthy. It’s about being intentional with what we consume—whether it’s TV shows, music, or social media—and filtering out anything that doesn’t align with our values.
I learned this lesson firsthand during a season of intentional filtering in my own life. It wasn’t about being overly religious, but rather about aligning myself with what God wanted to teach me. And let me tell you, it wasn’t easy finding TV shows or movies that passed the test, but it was a necessary step in reclaiming my sensitivity to the world around me.
In more recent years, I’ve learned a lot from my friend Valerie who has made it her mission to speak truth and life into every situation. For a few years now, she has lead our church in transforming our words and our minds. She’ll not let you wallow long in words that don’t have hope in them.
It’s not about positive thinking or empty affirmations—it’s about speaking God’s truth into every circumstance.
Which brings me to the Snoopy socks.
Listen!
I love Snoopy. He’s kind of a hero…at least as much as a cartoon character can be.
He embraces life and all his passions. He’s a writer and he loves rootbeer, like me. He’s completely comfortable with who he is and he doesn’t try to hide his true self.
I love Snoopy!
Anyway, because I love Snoopy, I’m often gifted Snoopy things. Like Snoopy cups, Snoopy pens, Snoopy sweats, and t-shirts, and yes, Snoopy socks. I love it all. But the multi-pair gift of Snoopy socks had sayings on them that didn’t speak life.
One pair has Lucy saying “get lost” on them. Another has Snoopy holding an empty food bowl in his mouth and the words, “always hungry.”
I didn’t throw them away or get rid of them becuase I still love Snoopy and I love the person that gave them to me. But there was always a twinge in my spirit when I put them on.
UNTIL…
One day, I decided to redeem the words on the socks. Turn them around so they spoke life. Here’s what I mean.
When I see the pair that say “get lost” in my mind, I add the words “in His presence.”
And to the pair that say “always hungry,” I add “for His Word.”
And I have a Snoopy t-shirt that says, “I’ll do it tomorrow.” In my mind, that is not a phrase of procrastination but a declaration of commitment. “I’ll do it again, tomorrow.” Whatever “it” comes to mind in the moment.
It’s a simple act, but it’s become a game between Holy Spirit and me. He’ll highlight a sign, a t-shirt, a billboard and invite me to redeem the words. And that game has trained me to pay attention to the thoughts that pass through my mind. When a thought comes that doesn’t express hope or love, I’m challenged to turn it around.
This is a way of pointing my heart toward God, aligning my thoughts with His, and conversing with Him. Win. Win. Win.
It's a way of pointing my heart toward God and aligning my thoughts with His.
One more example for you. The other day at a church leadership meeting, one of our pastors shared a story about a pillow her mother-in-law had crossed stitched many years ago. It said, “By the time a man gets to greener pastures he can’t climb the fence.”
It’s meant to be funny. But the thing is, those words, they actually matter. What you speak (or read over and over in this case) can become what you believe. And what you believe has a definite impact in how you live. Just ask Job what God can do with your latter days when you believe and hope in Him.
So, here’s my challenge to you.
Pay close attention to what’s in front of you in the coming days.
When you hear, see, or think things and Holy Spirit nudges you, partner with Him. Take a moment to hold them captive and redeem them or realign them with God—to turn them into declarations of hope and truth.
Want to lean in to this practice of minding your mind?
Download this month’s Scripture Cultivations- a curated collection of verses that will help you cultivate a greater understanding of what God says about our thoughts, beliefs, and words. They’re free and I’ll leave a link below.
And for even more encouragement and practice, come on over to the Figs Community. We’ll cultivate the verses and practice redeeming words in our daily lives. It’s a space where we can support and encourage one another on this journey of transformation and discover the incredible power our words have in shaping our reality. That link is below too.
Here are your cultivations
You have lots of options! Start by printing off the Scripture Cultivations Plan for free.
Prefer listening? Tune in to our podcast episodes.
If visuals are your thing, catch us on YouTube for insightful videos.
And for some community vibes, grab a cuppa and hop over to the FIGS Community Facebook Group.
What are Scripture Cultivations?
If you’re new to the Figs Community, you may be wondering why I call them Scripture Cultivations instead of a Scripture Writing Plan or Scripture Reading Plan. Hop on over to this page to find out more.
