WORDS, WORDS, WORDS by Pastor S. Henry

“An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire. A perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends” (Proverbs 16:27-28).

The words that flow out of our mouth are not neutral … they either edify or tear down others. Many of us grew up as children hearing or saying these words, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” But if you have been on the receiving end of a sharp tongue you know that words do indeed hurt.

Words often bring heartache that’s harder to heal than a broken bone or a pulled muscle. If you were given ten cents for every kind word you spoke, and paid five cents for every unkind word spoken, would you be rich or poor? Our words are not neutral … they either encourage or discourage others. “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (Proverbs 12:25).

A story is told of a church member who slandered another member of the same congregation. Upon discovering what he said was untrue he went to his pastor for help. The pastor told him to take a bag of feathers and place one feather on each doorstep of the community, and this he did. He then returned to the pastor announcing that he had completed the task. But the pastor sternly ordered him to take his bag and go pick up every one of those feathers he had dropped. But the man replied, “By this time the wind has blown those feathers away and they are irrecoverable.” And then the pastor reminded him that words are like feathers; once they’re dropped, and that easily, it is impossible to get them back.

Words are like a two-edged sword; they can be used for good or evil. You decide how your words are used. Remember this thought … there is no such thing as a meaningless word. Every word you speak has the power to help or hinder another person who has been created as the image of God. Don’t allow your words to become a stumbling block to others. Use your words to edify and uplift because it brings glory to God and encouragement to others! “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver” (Proverbs 25:11). “The tongue of the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth foolishness” (Proverbs 15:2). “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6).