"If the words you spoke appeared on your skin, would you still be beautiful?" (Anonymous)
The harsh things I've spoken to others, or the gossip I've shared, come to mind...
The things that have popped into my thoughts and out of my mouth, before I stopped to think, return to memory...
Words can be a weapon. They are powerful, and they have the capacity to harm, to destroy.
Words can wound, scar, and inflict pain.
If the words you spoke started appearing on your skin, would you still be beautiful? Or would the words coming from you make you unattractive, dirty?
I picture seeing the words I've said start surfacing on my hands, my arms, my face...
Bold, black writing spreading and covering my skin with the words that I've uttered.
How would you feel, seeing the words you've spoken written out on your skin?
Would you be ashamed? Angry at yourself? Regretful? Or would you be proud of what you've said?
Paul, in his letter to the church in Ephesus, admonished and encouraged the Ephesians to be careful with their speech. He says in Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
As I think about the words that I say, I realize that I need to ask myself three things:
1) Is my speech unwholesome? Or is it Christ-honoring?
2) Is my speech building others up, or tearing them down?
3) Does my speech benefit those around me who hear what I say?
I know the things I say fall short. SO. OFTEN.
I think of Jesus' words in Matthew 12, when He said "For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks," (Matthew 12:34, AMP) and I realize that my words are connected to my heart. Out of the overflow of my heart come my words.
I don't just have a tongue problem; I have a heart problem. I can't just address the words coming out of my mouth, I also have to address the attitudes of the heart that are bringing about the words.
I picture my words written across my skin, for everyone to see. The unkind words I said to someone, the insult I threw at someone in anger, the words I've said intended to wound, the things said when I was irritated. And I think of the attitudes of my heart that brought about those words: the bitterness, jealousy, or pride.
I see those attitudes, in the form of my words, covering my skin.
I picture that, and I'm not proud.
I'm convicted. Convicted of the things I've said that I shouldn't have, and convicted to strive to be careful with my words. To speak kindly, to hold my tongue, to only murmur words in love. Convicted to have an attitude of the heart that is pleasing to the King.
Instead of my words being weapons, I want them to be a honeycomb, "sweet to the soul and healing to the bones," (Proverbs 16:24)
Words are powerful.
They have the ability to build up or tear down.
They have the potential to harm, to inflict pain, or to bring healing, to bring life.
Every word you say has that power. And once you say something, you cannot take it back, no matter how badly you might want to. Once it is off your tongue and out of your mouth, it is out there to stay. There are no "take-back's!" when it comes to our speech.
And unfortunately, our negative words are like weapons--tearing down others and destroying them. It can take many, many positive words to cancel out just ONE negative.
Our words have power: power to kill or to give life.
When you choose your words, what will they do?
I pray that my heart would be fixed on Christ, and that my words would be gracious, kind, and beneficial to those around me--and that they would glorify Christ. That is my goal, and that is what I want to strive for, with God's help.
I want to speak in such a way that if all of the words I utter appeared on my skin, there would be nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to regret.
I want my words to speak of my love for the Lord, and to speak life into those around me.
Bold, black writing spreading and covering my skin with the words that I've uttered.
How would you feel, seeing the words you've spoken written out on your skin?
Would you be ashamed? Angry at yourself? Regretful? Or would you be proud of what you've said?
Paul, in his letter to the church in Ephesus, admonished and encouraged the Ephesians to be careful with their speech. He says in Ephesians 4:29 "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."
As I think about the words that I say, I realize that I need to ask myself three things:
1) Is my speech unwholesome? Or is it Christ-honoring?
2) Is my speech building others up, or tearing them down?
3) Does my speech benefit those around me who hear what I say?
I know the things I say fall short. SO. OFTEN.
I think of Jesus' words in Matthew 12, when He said "For out of the fullness (the overflow, the superabundance) of the heart the mouth speaks," (Matthew 12:34, AMP) and I realize that my words are connected to my heart. Out of the overflow of my heart come my words.
I don't just have a tongue problem; I have a heart problem. I can't just address the words coming out of my mouth, I also have to address the attitudes of the heart that are bringing about the words.
I picture my words written across my skin, for everyone to see. The unkind words I said to someone, the insult I threw at someone in anger, the words I've said intended to wound, the things said when I was irritated. And I think of the attitudes of my heart that brought about those words: the bitterness, jealousy, or pride.
I see those attitudes, in the form of my words, covering my skin.
I picture that, and I'm not proud.
I'm convicted. Convicted of the things I've said that I shouldn't have, and convicted to strive to be careful with my words. To speak kindly, to hold my tongue, to only murmur words in love. Convicted to have an attitude of the heart that is pleasing to the King.
Words are powerful.
They have the ability to build up or tear down.
They have the potential to harm, to inflict pain, or to bring healing, to bring life.
Every word you say has that power. And once you say something, you cannot take it back, no matter how badly you might want to. Once it is off your tongue and out of your mouth, it is out there to stay. There are no "take-back's!" when it comes to our speech.
And unfortunately, our negative words are like weapons--tearing down others and destroying them. It can take many, many positive words to cancel out just ONE negative.
Our words have power: power to kill or to give life.
When you choose your words, what will they do?
I pray that my heart would be fixed on Christ, and that my words would be gracious, kind, and beneficial to those around me--and that they would glorify Christ. That is my goal, and that is what I want to strive for, with God's help.
I want to speak in such a way that if all of the words I utter appeared on my skin, there would be nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to regret.
I want my words to speak of my love for the Lord, and to speak life into those around me.
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." -Mother Teresa
What kind of echo are your words leaving?
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