"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as
is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to
those who hear." ~Ephesians 4:29
The timing of this
devotional on the importance and the power of words we speak was perfect
as I finished the first chapter of the 5 Love Languages--Words of
Affirmation. Truly, there is a reason why words is one of the
fundamental love languages. With words of affirmation, the book
mentioned the subcategories of words of encouragement, words of praise,
and kind words. There's a lot of potential to do good and show love
through words. At the same time, words can curse and destroy, just as we
read in this AMI devotional. I'm really reminded by how important is it
to speak with God's wisdom and to discern what words are constructive
and loving. Our goal as Christians and especially as we prepare for
missions is to build one another up. We want to encourage and we want to
exude God's love. There's always more than one way to convey the same
message, but carefully chosen words at the right time will elicit a
significantly different response than words spoken impulsively and based
on emotions. Words have the power to transform relationships, and
ultimately it is one of the fundamental ways to express love.
I pray
that God will show me how to speak with kindness, gentleness, and wisdom
to my family, friends, brothers and sisters, patients, strangers, and
all those whom I may encounter. I pray that as we go off to missions, the words we speak to those we meet will be pleasing to the
Lord.
Reminded of James 3's ship/rudder analogy as it relates to the tongue's control over our bodies and how powerfully it impacts/shapes/moves us and those around us. Thanks for sharing, Connie!
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