The Tongue
Photo credit
A word minced nonchalantly can do vast damage to the emotions and psychology of another. See James 3:5.
“...so also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire” (James 3:5)!
Let us consider the kind of words that should flow from the mouths of Christ-followers:
1. Words of affection:
Over and over in our homes, the words “I love you” should be spoken—from husband to wife, from wife to husband, from parents to children, from children to parents. Giving voice to our appreciation for those we love is a powerful way to encourage.
2. Words of reconciliation:
Our planet is home to zero perfect people. We are all lagging, not just in principle but also in practice. Those closest to us know our flaws most clearly. Thus, we should not fail to say these life-giving words: “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Please forgive me.”
3. Words of vision:
When we speak words of vision over our children, we give them a glimpse of how effective their lives can be. “You will do something great with your life,” and “God is going to use your life in a cool way,” and “You can make a difference in this world.” Words of vision build hope and confidence.
4. Words of security:
Children in particular need to hear they are loved and accepted unconditionally—regardless of what they do. We speak truths over them that communicate their absolute belonging, such as “I love you always, always, always,” and “You will be mine forever!” With our words, we can imprint on our children’s hearts a sense of how God loves them.
Photo credit
Let us not choose silence when our words can make an enriching difference. As Proverbs 3:27 nudges, “...do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.”
May we all grow in choosing our words wisely.
Amen
Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by sirpee from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, someguy123, neoxian, followbtcnews, and netuoso. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows. Please find us at the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.
If you would like to delegate to the Minnow Support Project you can do so by clicking on the following links: 50SP, 100SP, 250SP, 500SP, 1000SP, 5000SP.
Be sure to leave at least 50SP undelegated on your account.
The tongue is very powerful. The bible says we will give account of everything we say. So as believers, we should tame our tongue.