Do you recall the last time you felt inspired to do something? When we think of things people in the Bible were inspired to do, we often recall Moses parting the Red Sea, David fighting Goliath, Joshua leading an army around the walled city of Jericho, or Jesus feeding the multitudes. We may also recall less dramatic actions others took:
- Boaz inviting the widow Ruth to glean in his fields behind his workers (Ruth 2:8-9)
- An unnamed Jewish servant girl having compassion on her master Namaan–a general in the Syrian army–and suggesting he find the prophet Elisha to be healed from his leprosy (2 Kings 5)
- A Roman centurion requesting Jesus simply “speak a word” and his servant would be healed from a distance (Matthew 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10)
These, and many more, had an inner leading or nudge to take such actions or speak those words. But I realized there’s one action at least 40 people in the Bible took for which I’m extremely grateful–and that was to write, an act we often overlook!
We have the Scriptures because 40 people took the time to write. The book of Job is considered the oldest book in the Bible. Scholars believe it was authored around 2000-1500 BC. Then between 1400-1200 BC, Moses wrote the Pentateuch: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy. At that time, people wrote on clay tablets, stone, papyrus, or possibly leather. The Pentateuch composes roughly 20% of the Old Testament and consists of approximately 156,736 words in the King James Version. Can you imagine Moses sitting and writing all that? It’s remarkable to realize that his words shaped history and faith for centuries.
Similarly, Paul wrote 23% – 28% of the words in the New Testament (depending on whether you believe he authored Hebrews,) and Luke wrote 27%! Their writing tools included papyrus or parchment, quills, and ink. They spent countless hours writing and dictating, intending their letters to teach and/or correct only a specific person or group of people. Their words are still alive and powerful to this day. Yet they had no idea their words would shape the faith of millions worldwide for ongoing generations. It started with inspiration. They weren’t striving for recognition, but simply following a divine leading.
What seemingly insignificant thoughts, written or spoken, might the Holy Spirit inspire you to communicate? He might lead you to thank someone for a deed everyone else overlooked, or to text a distant friend who suddenly comes to mind. We don’t know what such gestures might mean to them right at that moment. JB often feels led to pray for call center employees for companies with whom we do business. More often than not, the person ends up in grateful tears because JB was led to pray for a specific fear or concern in their lives, and those words let them know God sees and cares for them personally.
Just as those biblical authors penned words that shaped history, the Holy Spirit may lead you to share words—spoken or written—that impact someone in ways you may never fully realize. So, be open; pay attention to those nudges. Your inspired words might be more powerful than you think!
