Got Change?نموونە

WORD POWER

The words that come out of our mouth have the power to build up or destroy. In the beginning, God created everything by the power of His words. We who are created in His image have this powerful gift of using words for the building up of people. But are we using words to build up people or destroy them? Negative words spoken over people in anger and frustration can hurt and cause deep wounds in their spirit.

The words that come out of our mouth are a direct outflow of what is stored up in our hearts. Jesus teaches significantly on the importance of the words we speak. A good man speaks good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man speaks evil things out of the evil stored up in him. So it matters what we allow our hearts to store and hence our responsibility to guard it - the wellspring of life. We need to be careful about the many careless words we speak. Paul urges us to speak only what is helpful for building others up so that it may benefit those who listen and to avoid unwholesome talk.

The apostle James, writing about the power of the tongue, says it makes great boasts though it's only a small part of the body, comparing it to a small spark that can set a great forest on fire. With the tongue we worship God, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. As children of God, we need to hold back our tongues from the act of boasting, cursing and hurting. Our tongues must bring forth words of blessings, life and healing to those who hear us.

We will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every empty or rash word we have spoken. For by our words we will be acquitted, and by our words we will be condemned. May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts be acceptable to our God!

The CHALLENGE to Change:

What would be the judgment I would pass over the use of my tongue? Have curse words, harshness, gossip and negativity adulterated my speech? How would you like to be spoken to? What are the immediate changes you must make with the choice and tone of your words. Ask God to set a watch on your lips and to teach you to speak with grace.