May the words
of my mouth and the meditation
of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Check your words.
Would the words you use to those around you or about yourself be what
brings honor to God? Really think about
it. Often we are flippant about the
words we use, and it can go in many different directions.
I heard a pastor recently talk about the word
love. He said, and I agree, that we use
the word love far too often. We say we
love this or that like donuts or pizza or the beach. In the next breath or soon we say we love
God. It is difficult for us and others
to know what we mean by love when we use it as such.
Words can go the other direction as well. Many people use curse words and derogatory
words all the time. Whether in jest or
honest, it is common place to put people down or to call people names. No, I am not talking about the words that
children use on the playground, but I would suggest that the words that
children use often mirror the words that the adults around them use.
The old phrase, “sticks and stones may break my bones
but words will never hurt me” could not be further from the truth. Words stick with us. The conversations where we allow the junk to
come out of our mouths cannot be taken back.
People will remember what you say.
Even more people will remember how we make them feel.
Our words either give or take value from the people
around us. Choose words and life for
yourself and the people you are around.
Change your words. Make your
conversations count. It is time to stop
callously using our words.
Don’t use
foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that
your words will be an
encouragement to those who hear them.
Here is a good test for the words you use. Are they abusive? Do they encourage people to be better?
A truly wise person uses few words; a
person with understanding is even-tempered.
Here is another test.
Do your words make you look like a wise person or a fool?
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is
honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.
What you think about you are going to talk
about. I pray that my words do great
things, open doors and add value. I pray
that I will be careful to be wise as I choose my words.
Let me turn in one more direction before I
close. It is often hard to forgive
people who abuse you with their words, but we can forgive. It is also each to believe the words that
people use about you. Don’t accept or
hold on the wrong word and wrong things that people say about you.
Use the tests.
Speak what is true. Accept what
is wise and makes you strong.
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