OUR WORDS, OUR LIFE

Our words have huge impact on our world and the lives of those around us. Words can build or restore relationships. Words can mar or make a home. Words can start a war of nations and words can restore peace. Words carry a lot of weight, and once spoken, it is often difficult to amend the effect. The Psalmist prayed, ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer’ (Psalm 19:14 NASB). This week, I want to encourage us, to take heed to our words, to process our thoughts before we speak and to use our words wisely.

What should characterize our words?

Our words should be full of wisdom. The world is in dire need of refreshing words, full of Godly wisdom. We must earnestly desire to speak with wisdom; to speak wise words that bring sanity and solution to life’s challenging situations. Proverbs 18:4 says, ‘A person’s words can be life-giving water; words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook.’ Proverbs 20:15 says, ‘Wise speech is rarer and more valuable than gold and rubies.’ The Bible says of the Proverbs 31 woman, ‘When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness’ (Proverbs 31:26 NLT).

We should filter our words. We must make conscious and deliberate actions to sift through our words before we speak. This is to ensure that our words are cautiously selected before we release them. Proverbs 15:28 says, ‘The heart of the godly thinks carefully before speaking’ (NLT) and Proverbs 25:11 says, ‘Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken in right circumstances’ (NASB).

We must finetune our words. Our words should be polished, well garnished, and cultured. We should speak graceful words that bring comfort to the hearers. Proverbs 16:24 says, ‘Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones’ (NIV). Gracious words must pour from our lips. Words like ‘If you may,’ ‘Thank you,’ ‘Yes Please,’ ‘Excuse me’ should enrich our conversations. Colossians 4:6 says, ‘Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person’ (ESV).

We should speak words that feed others. Proverbs 15:4 says, ‘Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” Our words should edify and strengthen others. We should strive to speak words that heal, fortify, mend and restore lives. Proverbs 10:21 says, ‘The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense’ (NIV) and Proverbs 10:11 says, ‘The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life…’ (NIV). Proverbs 16:24 says, ‘Kind words are like honey–sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.’

We should remove filthiness from our words. In Matthew 15:11, Jesus says, ‘It’s not what goes into your mouth that defiles you; you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth’ (NLT). We must endeavor to abstain from filthy words, slangs, obnoxious talks, seductive language and every unrighteous conversation. Apostle Paul told the Ephesians, ‘Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen’ (Ephesians 4:29 NIV). No slander or gossip must proceed from our lips. Ephesians 5:4 – ‘neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.’

Our words should generate Spiritual force. When we speak, it must be backed with power. We must grow in our relationship with God so much that every word we speak carries the power of God. Jesus Christ says, ‘The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life’ (John 6:63). We do not just speak idle words; our words go forth to accomplish what it has been sent to do. Job 6:25 says, ‘How forceful are right words!’ (NKJV). Speak healing, speak life, speak liberty to the oppressed. Declare your words with faith and see it accomplish the purpose of God on earth. Isaiah 55:11 says, ‘…so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

Our Words should be full of truth. Integrity and truth must guide our words and action. Ephesians 4:25 says, ‘Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another’ (ESV). God detest lies and liars and warns us to desist from such. Proverbs 12:22 says, ‘The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.’ Proverbs 25:18 “Telling lies about others is as harmful as hitting them with an ax, wounding them with a sword, or shooting them with a sharp arrow’ (NLT). Make a decision today to speak truthful words and live a honest, transparent life. Avoid flattery, deceitful speech and vain words. Proverbs 29:5 reads, ‘A man who flatters his neighbor is spreading a net for his steps.’ Jesus says, ‘But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one’ (Matthew 5:37 NKJV). 1 Peter 3:10 says, ‘For, ‘Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech.’

We can only control our words by submitting our mind to the Spirit of God and developing a meek spirit. Our heart (mind) must continually be exposed to the workings of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 15:18 says, ‘But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.’ We must continually pray, ‘Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer’ (Psalm 19:14 NASB). When we meditate on and think good thoughts, we produce the fruits of good and gracious words. Apostle Paul encouraged in Philippians 4:8, ‘Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things’ (NIV). Right thoughts generate right words!

I prayed this prayer when I was meditating on this topic, ‘Let my lips prove me a faithful person to God and man.’ I wish you can sincerely pray it too. I wish you a blessed week, full of gracious words and wisdom in speech.

#gregerhabor