Words Have Power

Proverbs 18:21 teaches: Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Just like our actions, our words have consequences. We have the opportunity to use our words to build people up or we can use them to tear people down.  We can only serve one kingdom, and we must do so with intention. With every word we speak, we have an opportunity to serve God’s kingdom by encouraging those He has placed in our path.  However, if we aren’t careful to speak with purpose, we can easily miss an opportunity.  Not only that, we can carelessly cast out words that harm others.  It is a choice we must make with each conversation.  We can deliberately and intentionally show Christ-like kindness and love, or we can haphazardly speak without thought or intention.

How many opportunities have we already lost because we didn’t make our conversations purposeful?  Matthew 12:36 says But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. Perhaps, we spoke too quickly without seeking God’s wisdom first?  Proverbs 29:20 warns Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? there is more hope of a fool than of him..  Maybe we judged others without knowing their story? Luke 6:37 lets us know the danger of that. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven.

Sadly, many are accustomed to accepting negative speech as a part of our lives. We are surrounded by it everywhere.  But, remember, we are called to be set apart from this world. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth.Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: (Colossians 3:8-10).

We have learned in the past few weeks how easily we can be manipulated by what we expose ourselves to – from the music we listen to, television shows we watch, to the people we invite into our lives.  Our sensitivity decreases the more we allow the world to distract us.  Again, we must be purposeful by studying the scriptures so that we may live out God’s commands in every area of our life. Otherwise, we will focus on negative traits of people through gossip and unfair judging of others, forgetting the grace God extends us.

We have to focus on the reason we are here!   Every conversation we have should direct in some way to the Lord.  We know that it’s a struggle.  It’s easy to let the words come without care or intention.  But remember, it’s urgent that we make our conversations purposeful.  We do so in order to glorify the Lord. All that we do and say should be done with a purpose, and that purpose is to point others to Christ.

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer (Psalm 19:14).  We have been called to be set apart.  Our words must reflect Christ because our words reveal the state of our hearts – hearts cleaned by the power of His blood.

Today’s Challenge: Pray that God will help you to look at the beauty in other people, that He will show you in times of struggle and conflict that our enemy is not flesh and blood, but the sin and evil of this world. Make a commitment to be slow to speak and slow to anger. Use your words to build up those people that God has sent your way. Pray that the next time you see your conversation slipping into dangerous territory, you’ll feel the Holy Spirit’s leading and follow through by steering your conversation in the right direction in a loving way.

An extra step you might follow here is to pray that God will bring one person to your mind that needs words of encouragement or affirmation.  Send them a text, give them a call, or put a card in the mail letting them know that you are thinking of and praying for them. We never know when we are making a big difference in someone’s life with a small gesture such as this.