Family Talk: A Family Devotional on Our WordsSample

Game:

Divide into pairs (if you have an extra, the parent or older child can be the judge). Ask each pair to sit on the floor with their partner, backs together, arms linked. Their task is to stand up together. Once everyone has done this, two pairs join together and the group of four (or the extra person if only 3 in your family) tries to repeat the task. After they succeed, keep adding pairs or an individual until your whole family is trying to stand together.

Message: 

The things that we say to each other are important. The Bible says that what we say has the power to bring life or death. Part of this is because God made us like Him and put us in charge of this earth.  And just like His Words are powerful and created things, like the whole world, our words are also powerful and can create or destroy things.  Did you know that people have measured plants that are talked to kindly and plants that are talked to unkindly; and that the plants who received kind words grew more than the other ones did? 

The Bible tells us that our words are the main steering mechanisms for life. What we say is compared to the rudder of a ship or the bit in a horse’s mouth. God gives our words Divine power.  We can see this very clearly in the things that we say to each other; they go into our minds and impact what we believe. They can encourage us and help us to feel loved and accepted. Or what it said to us, can hurt us and make us feel rejected and not good enough.  Because we’re a family, we see things and have access to each other’s lives that other people don’t have, so it makes what we say to each other even more powerful.  Let’s spend this next week thinking about the things we say to each other and asking ourselves, “Did what I say just bring life or death to this person?”.

Parent, tell a story about how words that someone close to you said impacted you for good or for bad.

Questions:

How do you feel about the way our family talks to you? Do you think you are hearing more life or more death from our words?

How do you feel about how you talk to the other members of our family?

What is your favorite room in your house and why?

Declaration/Prayer:

Add this declaration to your family prayer now and each night at dinner. “Our family’s words have the God-given power of life, and we use them to bless each other.”

Verses:

Proverbs 18:21 The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.

James 3:2-5 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check. When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark.

Ephesians 4:29 Do not let unwholesome [foul, profane, worthless, vulgar] words ever come out of your mouth, but only such speech as is good for building up others, according to the need and the occasion, so that it will be a blessing to those who hear [you speak].