The Best: Part 1Sample

Prayer: Heavenly Father, your words are always full of grace and full of truth. Forgive me for not using my words to build others up more. Keep corrupting words from coming out of my mouth. Fill my mouth with grace and help me to be wise with my speech. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you always!

The Power of Words

The average person speaks at least 7,000 words a day, or about 50,000 words a week — the length of a short book! For all the talking we do, we should take time to consider what kind of words we are speaking out into the world. Even though we often think very little about our words, they hold the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21). 

Why did God give us words at all? The apostle Paul communicates God’s purpose by commanding the Ephesians to “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). 

Unfortunately, our mouths don’t naturally drift into giving grace and building others up. Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks (Matthew 12:34), and our hearts are bent towards evil and selfishness. But if you are in Christ and Christ is in you, he fills your heart up with his abundant grace so that you might speak words of grace. Only with God is it possible for us to speak words of life and love!

Questions to Ask Yourself:

1. What are the things I find myself talking about the most? Am I complaining more than I am building others up?
2. How often do I speak encouraging words to others? Do people leave conversations with me better or worse? 

What’s Next? 

1. Take one day and challenge yourself to not complain at all. Invite a friend to try it with you! Then process with each other how the day went.
2. Pray and ask God to bring a couple people to mind who need building up. Write letters to them or call them to encourage them today!