I am beginning my look into the life of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, in Luke 1. When the angel first appears to him and Zechariah voices doubt, the angel strikes him with silence. I am not sure why Zechariah voices the obvious (“I’m an old guy’) and gets this treatment and Gideon is on a fool’s errand and is allowed to get away with it… twice. 

Go figure.

But when Zechariah does speak, WOW! He lets loose with praise and brings words of hope over his newborn son. His doubt is removed. His heart is full of faith. The dam breaks, so to speak.

We need to be willing to bring out words of hope into the lives of people. We need to be far more willing to speak hope and Kingdom power into the lives of people around us.

It might do some people good to go quiet for a time and be forced to think about the words that come out… and the meaning of those words.

Dare to speak Kingdom power into the lives of those around you.