Our words affect others. Can you remember a time when you were cut to the quick by someone’s words? Or a time when someone said something to you that made you believe you could accomplish anything? Words can be that extreme. Proverbs says that the power of life and death is in the tongue. (Prov 18:21) Our words are destructive or constructive. It is interesting to examine our words and see what is the motivation behind what we speak. Words that are destructive are full of:
bitterness,
envy,
selfish ambition,
earthy concerns and desires,
unspiritual thoughts and ideas,
disorder and evil.
It’s not hard to see that the enemy is the motivating factor behind destructive words. Constructive words are motivated by:
mercy,
love for others,
peace,
consideration,
submission,
sincerity,
impartiality,
and righteousness.
These are the kinds of things that God desires for us to communicate. When we build, lift and encourage with our words, we are using our ability to lift people to a higher place, exactly what God wants to do in our lives. When talking with others, let’s make a determination to put a guard on our lips, and let nothing but constructive words come out. Sometimes that means we just keep our mouth shut. Like Thumper in the movie BAMBI, If you don’t have somethin’ nice to say, don’t say nothin’ at all. My sister has a cute plaque at her door that says, be nice or leave! It brings with it the same thought, find ways to say nice things. Find good just like Phil 4:8-9 tells us to do. Think and speak about things that bring blessing and healing.