Our Words

A friend once shared this with me: Everyone of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously.

The way we talk to people and the way we talk about people should do nothing but build up the hearts of others. I have heard and seen so many hurtful things happen because of the words people use.

“Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!” (Proverbs 15:23, NLT) The right word at the right time – it is beautiful! Words are like that. They are powerful instruments for good or bad. We can use words in distractive ways, or we can use words to build and encourage.

And nothing I am writing is “new knowledge” to you but why then is it such a struggle for so many of us to speak words that give life? Why do some of us get so far off track that we are actually convinced that our sharp words “spoken in love” are justified?

“What this adds up to, then is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all…watch the way you talk. Let nothing could or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. Don’t grieve God. Don’t break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don’t such a gift for granted. Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:25-32, MSG)

We live in a world where words are often weilded as weapons. And God has a plan, a deep desire, for you to use your words as a tool to build up the hearts of others. Imagine the Kingdom impact your words would have if what you believed and said was fully surrendered to will of God!?!

Some of us…
…need to cleanse our mouths and minds
…need to stop lying and twisting the truth
…need to start being intentional about encouraging others

But how? How do we do this? My friend answered this question for me once. He said, “Watch what God does, and then you go do it.” We can’t wait for others to change. We must change. We are commanded by the Lord to be like Him – not like this world. Our words and our actions reveal to the world our true beliefs, attitude and motives. Whatever is in your heart and mind will come out out in your speech and in your behavior – it won’t stay hidden forever.

How do the words you use says you ware wanting to be more like Jesus? Our words are powerful.

Lord, I am aware that we may need to just pause before You now and ask for Your forgiveness for the ways in which we have used our words. Friendships, relationships, marriages and exchanges with others are hurting today because of the things we have said. I ask for Your forgiveness Father and I ask that You would fill each of us with Your Presence and that we would allow You to cleanse each of us and that we would desire to reflect Your heart to build others up. We confess our need for You now and we ask that You would use us to speak life-giving words to others today. In your Name we pray, Amen. 

Everyone of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously.