The Way Forward: A 5-Day Devotional by Phil DooleyChikamu

Day 4: Words of truth, kindness, and necessity

Our words have real, measurable results. They can build people up and bring about positive change. Or they can tear people down and cause great harm. Proverbs 18:21 (TPT) says: ‘Your words are so powerful that they will kill or give life, and the talkative person will reap the consequences.’

As the second half of the above verse indicates, what we say has consequences for us too. Our words can either make us bigger on the inside or smaller and meaner. Proverbs 11:17 (MSG) says: ‘When you’re kind to others, you help yourself; when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself. Think of your words as seeds that yield a harvest, not only in your spheres of influence but in your own life too. Proverbs 18:20 (TPT) says: ‘Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being. It encourages you to know that you’ve changed someone else’s life.’

It may sound clichéd, but it really is important to think before we speak (post or comment on social media). Proverbs 15:28 (NIV) says: ‘The heart of the righteous weighs its answers, but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.’ There’s a quote by Socrates which suggests that we measure what we say by asking ourselves, ‘Is it true; is it kind, or is it necessary?’

Jesus points to a heart-mouth connection in Luke 6:45 (NLT) when He says: ‘What you say flows from what is in your heart.’ If your heart is no longer tender toward God; if you’ve allowed bitterness, offence, resentment, or envy to creep in; if you’re insecure, wounded, proud, or self-centred, you’ll struggle to speak life-giving words over a situation, to encourage others, or to be kind and generous with your words. This is why it’s important to guard your heart above all else (as Proverbs 4:23 says).

The world is battling fierce storms on many fronts, and there’s more than enough judgement, pain, cynicism, and harsh criticism going around. Let’s be the opposite and go over the top in loving, encouraging, supporting, and fuelling each other with our words. It’s miraculous what the right words at the right time can do. I think of the impact of life-giving words as a miracle of multiplication, like when Jesus used a few loaves and fish to feed a crowd of thousands. We offer a few words of encouragement to someone, and God supercharges their effect so that they completely transform a life.