| Proverbs 18:21 – “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” |
Words are a powerful force; I don’t think we realize how powerful our words are. Our text says that our words have the power of life and death! We also know from Matthew 12:34 something else about our words, “For out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” This means that the words that come out of our mouths directly indicate what is in our hearts.
Because of this, it is important for us to reflect on questions such as:• What words are consistently coming out of my mouth?• What’s going on in my heart?• Do my words lean more towards negativity or positivity?• Are my words critical, prideful, and angry?• Do my words hurt, or do they heal?• Are my words kind and spoken in humility and love?• Am I quick to respond in anger, or do I stop and think about what I want to say before you say it?
Let’s be honest; we are all guilty of using our words carelessly. The good news is that you can change how you think and speak; you can change your words if you choose to. Let’s ask God to reveal his truth to us and to help change our hearts, and in the process, change our words. The ripple effect of something we say today can last for many years. We don’t realize the impact we can have with just a simple, kind word.
Dear Lord, help me be more aware of my words and intentions and help me to examine my ways. Use my words today to bring life to others. Amen.
-Beverly Benskin
