Watch What You Say
There is power in the words you speak and you can use that power to either encourage others or to tear someone down. A kind word can instantly make a bad day better, but a sarcastic remark or snide comment can easily send someone into despair. What you do and say matters to God. We are told in Matthew 12:36-37, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” Wow - God is serious! He expects you to use your words wisely . . . for there are consequences. Have you ever had someone give you a compliment and just that little bit of encouragement boosted your confidence? Perhaps you struggled all night working on a speech and the next day after your presentation, someone came up and said, “I loved what you said, and I want to thank you because it was exactly what I needed to hear.” Immediately you feel relief flow over you just hearing that someone was blessed by what you said. Equally powerful is when someone is critical, running you down, and quick to condemn. Wounds from deadly words can be difficult to heal. Sometimes those words can affect someone the rest of their lives. For instance, a child constantly being told they are stupid will struggle with self-worth even as an adult. Let everything you say be motivated by love, and if you can’t say anything good about someone, then say nothing at all. A good rule to follow is this: speak to build, not to tear down; to bless, not to hurt; and to praise, not to criticize. 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.” Choose your words wisely - God is listening . . . so watch what you say! TEXT: Proverbs 16:24, Proverbs 12:18, Hebrews 3:13, Colossians 4:6
© Brenda Walsh Ministries www.brendawalsh.com
heather, its evelyn. thank you for sharing this.