Choose Carefully What You Say

Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad

(Proverbs 12:25, Amplified)

Our words, syllables and vowels uttered from our lips, are the most powerful force on earth. We can either produce pain, hurt, or torment in our lives and those around us; or we can bring healing, peace, comfort, or encouragement. Words are so important, and have such power that the very course of our lives depend on them. The bible tells us in Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit,” (NIV). The Message Bible is even more direct, “Words kill, words give life; they're either poison or fruit—you choose.”

Do you remember a time when someone said something ugly about you, and it wasn’t even true what he or she had said and how the hurt was devastating, especially if it was a loved-one who said it? Conversely, how about when you were having a bad day and someone, a stranger quite possibly, told you your hair looked great, or how you had a wonderful smile? You might not have believed them when they had said it, yet in some way their kind words were a salve. One moment you felt like the day would never end, the next thing you know you’ve forgotten how bad your day had been going. Even if it was for the briefest moment of time, those kind words caught your attention. In Proverbs 15:23 it says, “a word spoken at the right moment--how good it is!” (Amplified).

In our daily conversations, whether at work, the grocery store, at home, at school, or even at church, can have a profound effect on those around us. Consider the words of Jesus in Matthew 12:34, “For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”(NIV) What we fill our hearts with is what will come out of our mouths. The greatest words a person can fill up on, are from the Word of God.