Words!

Matthew 12:35-37, "The good man from his inner good treasure flings forth good things, and the evil man out of his inner evil storehouse flings forth evil things. But I tell you, on the day of judgement men will have to give account for every idle (inoperative, nonworking) word they speak. For by your words you will be justified and acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned and sentenced."

Words! According to the Bible, our words are powerful! Proverbs 18:21 says, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and they who indulge in it shall eat the fruit of it [for death or life]."

I've seen words used to build people up, but I've also seen them used to tear others down.

The Bible holds us very accountable for the words we speak, whether they be kind, ugly, or simply idle. The question is, what do you talk about?

When I think about my words, I notice that I have a lot of idle talk. Is it bad stuff that I'm talking about? Not usually, but is it good?

I realize the power of words when I think back to conversations that really impacted my life. I have been stung by people's careless words many times. Some people didn't necessarily even mean to be unkind, but their thoughtless words (idle words you could say) did more damage than they could've imagined.

On the other hand, though, kind words spoken to me have impacted my life in huge ways as well.

I have a friend who always finds something kind to say. Even when I thank him for being encouraging, he comes back with another encouraging thing to say. His kindness impacts my life in a way that causes me to desire to be more like that.

Also, last week, there were two customers that paid me a simple compliment, but the impact wasn't simple. It was huge!

We have many words that we use each passing day! We are given a huge amount of power, but with power also comes responsibility.

Maybe you too need to ask yourself what your words look like. I know I do! My words need a lot of correction!

Hebrews 3:8 says, "But the human tongue can be tamed by no man. It is a restless (undisciplined, irreconcilable) evil, full of deadly poison."

How discouraging! So, we're supposed to speak kind words, but the human tongue can be tamed by no man. What are we to do, then?

Thankfully, we can do all things that God calls us to do through Christ Who gives us strength. (See Philippians 4:13)

Are you as convicted about your words as I was about mine? Ask God to tame your tongue and begin changing your words from death to life!

Dear Heavenly Father,

I have been made aware of the power of my words today, and I realize that I need Your help in this area! Please change my words from causing death to resulting in life. Let what I say be positive, not negative. Help my conversations bless others, not curse them; and let all that I say be edifying to people, not degrading. In Jesus' Name.

Amen.