day 8 - big: what you say

31 Days Index

Do you recognize daily the power behind our words?! The Bible teaches us that the power of our tongues can bring death or life. And guess who's in control of that?...we are.

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We should intentionally speak words of life into those around us.  Breathe words of life into...

your marriage.

your family.

your children.

your friends.

your enemies. (!) 

teachers at school.

the cashier at the store.

Any and everyone! 

That old saying about words ("sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me") is a lie! Words can and do hurt...and the Bible backs us up on that in saying that death is on the power of the tongue.

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Ephesians 4:29 speaks for itself...and convicts all of us, right? "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths" ... "only what is helpful for building others up" ... "that it may benefit those who listen." Whew! Talk about intentionality behind what we say!!

I am not perfect in the whole "unwholesome talk" thing. None of us are! But I do know this: I am thankful for grace. I often find myself seeking forgiveness with the Lord in things that I might not say out loud...but I sure am thinking them. (And of course I seek it for any words of death I say out loud too. With the person I say them to as well as with God. Sometimes my thoughts are just meaner! Eeek! It's true. Being real here.) When my thoughts are destructive and not full of life, I pray for a heart change so I can view the situation/the person/people/whatever it is the way that God views it.

Don't you find yourself much more fulfilled when you encourage others? Encouragement is life-giving, so being an encourager breathes life...gives life...blesses. (You'll especially find that you soak up words of encouragement if that is your love language! If you don't know about the love languages yet, they are definitely worth looking into!)

Go encourage someone today. And then think about how it made your heart feel to intentionally breathe words of life into someone else. I think it just might make you an encourager all the more. :)