A Word about Words

When was the last time you seriously thought about your words? We can listen in church, have our quiet time, and pray through our prayer list, but what is coming out of our mouths? We can believe one thing, but how do we speak it? Words have the power to destroy our testimony.

I am convicted to the core. What I say and what I don't say do not always match up with my spiritual desires. I want to be a light for Christ. I want to love others as myself. But people don't hear my wants; they hear my words. People don't see my intentions; they see my face. People don't watch my heart; they watch my actions. I believe that if we want the world to experience Jesus, we have to start with the basic function of mankind: communication. 

It's time to take our words seriously because once they leave our mouths, there is no going back. Once a word is spoken, it is spoken forever. Christians are more accountable for what they say than anyone else. We need to clean up our everyday words (in our sleepovers, office, tweets, texts, girl's nights, car, phone calls ect.) if we want to effectively communicate the gospel.

But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. Matthew 15:18

As righteous women of the Lord and ambassadors of the gospel, we must actively strive to avoid harmful speech that could ruin our godly reputation and, ultimately, keep others from hearing the Lord.

Let us flee from selfishness, persuasiveness, boasting, complaining, nagging, flattery, deceit, gossip, accusations, fluctuating tones, exaggerations, false promises, and lies. 

It seems like a pretty long and exhausting list, doesn't it? I would suggest examining your words today. Really pay attention to the topics of conversation you initiate with your friends, how you respond when things do not go your way, or what your true intentions are in asking that question. 

Which items from that list are hidden amongst your words? Focus on one or two and really pray that God would reveal to you the root of your sin. Our words run deep. A simple statement can be loaded with heavy baggage. Ask God to not only reveal to you the depths of your sin, but give you the grace and desire to replace those words with truth.

As descendants of Eve, we are life-givers. Our words have the power to destroy our testimony, but they also hold the power to give life. Words birth new thoughts, feelings, knowledge, and desires in other people. It is truly amazing what God can do through our mouths.

May our words be laced with the gospel message: forgiveness, sacrifice, and reconciliation. Let each sentence be intentional, honest, thought out, even toned, wise, and free from ulterior motives. Get to the heart of the matter. Even a good word can be said out of a deceitful or self-seeking heart. Our heart-driven words should directly correlate with the character of our King.

How can we master the art of godly speaking? We can only speak wisdom if we are feeding our minds with God's word, in tune with the Holy Spirit, and we respect the Lord.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. Proverbs 1:7

Lord, Thank you for allowing me to communicate your gospel to others. Help me to talk my conversation more seriously. Place guardian angels around my mouth to prevent hurtful, false, or in-genuine words from escaping my lips. Reveal to me areas in which my heart does not match my speech and in which my words are doing more harm than good. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, Oh God, my Savior and my Friend. Amen. 

☎︎

The Girl Next Door