The Words You Should Say
God has been speaking to me about the importance of words. We use words everyday, but do we do much good with them? The words we use can be used for either good or evil. Almost everything you say can have either a negative or positive effect. It impacts other people. With our words we can build worth and value into others, and ourselves. Almost everyone knows this quote, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." But this is not true. Words do hurt, and are remembered, but sometimes words are exactly what someone needs, when they are intended for good. Words have meaning. They have the power to build up or tear down, to encourage or discourage; it's also easy to join in on gossiping, complaining, and using words for destruction. But this should not be. Words are a big deal, and God tells us that. In James 3:10 it says, "Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."
A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of sharing to the young ladies of my youth group on what a godly woman looks like. There are so many different directions one could go with that topic, and I hadn't at first thought of what God had already been teaching me: godly speech, the importance of words. However, that is indeed what God desires of a godly woman, I know because He tells me so. In Proverbs 31:26 it says" She (a godly woman) opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her lips." Not only do I want to be a godly woman, to have wisdom, I want to teach, and speak, kindness. I want to use my words for good, for praise, for blessing. And I want others to see that in me.
Sometimes people see more than you notice. My actions and words speak greatly of who I am as a person, and will reflect who I ultimately am living for. Two instances showed me this in the last couple weeks, both in the work place, and at school. The first came on a morning that I was having a bad day, I had received some very frustrating news. And left yet another thing to deal with that day, and in the weeks to come. I was at school, amongst classmates, and the last thing I wanted to do was be happy and pleasant. Just at the moment of my greatest inward fuming, a classmate a couple rows in front of me, turned, smiled, and asked how I was doing. I was about to let loose, but I caught myself. This girl, just a day previous, had read what I am indeed living life for, was I now going to shatter that with my words? I have a choice to reflect, no matter where I am, how great a God I live for. Do I practice what I preach? I do not encourage being fake with others, or to give shallow answers, but to be careful with your responses. Another time about a week later came at my internship work site when a couple lady "coworkers" had been carrying on a discussion about some recent popular books and movies, books and movies that I would not consider reading or watching because of content that I find, well, rather unnecessary to subject my eyes, thoughts, or time to. One of them turned and asked me if I had ever watched the movie, and I simply had said no I haven't seen it, but what I found rather shocking was what came next. She said, "No?! Well, I guess you probably don't really watch those types of movies." I had never had an in-depth conversation, hardly any conversation at all, with this gal, she had merely observed me, but somehow she had come to a conclusion of even the kinds of movies I watch. I realized then that I really need to be careful of my actions and words. It is through them that people get to see where your heart is, because what's inside, will come out.
With that being said, there should be no question that from your words and actions come a big part of our reputation and respect. In 1 Timothy 3 it talks about what a godly man should look like. In 1 Timothy 3:11 it tells of what a godly woman (the wife of a godly man) should look like. It states, "in the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." Here again speech is important to God. God wants wives, sisters, girlfriends, daughters, and also husbands, brothers, fathers to watch their words. Largely that is what is going to impact our respect and reputation. One way that our heart is revealed is through the words we say. People take notice when we purposely try to do good, to bless with our words and actions. Proverbs 22: 1 says, " a good name is to be desired more than great wealth, favor is better that silver and gold. Also in Proverbs, chapter 31, is states that an excellent wife, or godly woman, is far above jewels of great wealth. I want my life to reflect one of worth, and I want to build worth and value into others. I want to speak well to my friends, future husband, children, friends, family. I want to be a woman of respect because of the words I say.
I also want to be purposeful with the words I say. A good visual of this was given as I walked the halls of my college, I came across an entire wall of letters. A title at the top of the wall said, "Letters I wish I could write." It must have been a class project of sorts. These letters were written to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, best friend in ninth grade, to Fred who let me sit at his table in fifth grade. The sad part was that all these letters , these words were words that people wish they could have said, but never did. I want to be purposeful with my words. I want to say words that have meaning. I want to turn those words into words that I could say, or should say.
So I guess I invite you to do the same. To be careful with the words you say, words can't be taken back. To be purposeful to say words that will bless others. To not be like those people that have words that they wish they would have said, but to say them! And to show that you are a person who loves Jesus through your actions and speech.
A couple weeks ago I had the privilege of sharing to the young ladies of my youth group on what a godly woman looks like. There are so many different directions one could go with that topic, and I hadn't at first thought of what God had already been teaching me: godly speech, the importance of words. However, that is indeed what God desires of a godly woman, I know because He tells me so. In Proverbs 31:26 it says" She (a godly woman) opens her mouth in wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her lips." Not only do I want to be a godly woman, to have wisdom, I want to teach, and speak, kindness. I want to use my words for good, for praise, for blessing. And I want others to see that in me.
Sometimes people see more than you notice. My actions and words speak greatly of who I am as a person, and will reflect who I ultimately am living for. Two instances showed me this in the last couple weeks, both in the work place, and at school. The first came on a morning that I was having a bad day, I had received some very frustrating news. And left yet another thing to deal with that day, and in the weeks to come. I was at school, amongst classmates, and the last thing I wanted to do was be happy and pleasant. Just at the moment of my greatest inward fuming, a classmate a couple rows in front of me, turned, smiled, and asked how I was doing. I was about to let loose, but I caught myself. This girl, just a day previous, had read what I am indeed living life for, was I now going to shatter that with my words? I have a choice to reflect, no matter where I am, how great a God I live for. Do I practice what I preach? I do not encourage being fake with others, or to give shallow answers, but to be careful with your responses. Another time about a week later came at my internship work site when a couple lady "coworkers" had been carrying on a discussion about some recent popular books and movies, books and movies that I would not consider reading or watching because of content that I find, well, rather unnecessary to subject my eyes, thoughts, or time to. One of them turned and asked me if I had ever watched the movie, and I simply had said no I haven't seen it, but what I found rather shocking was what came next. She said, "No?! Well, I guess you probably don't really watch those types of movies." I had never had an in-depth conversation, hardly any conversation at all, with this gal, she had merely observed me, but somehow she had come to a conclusion of even the kinds of movies I watch. I realized then that I really need to be careful of my actions and words. It is through them that people get to see where your heart is, because what's inside, will come out.
With that being said, there should be no question that from your words and actions come a big part of our reputation and respect. In 1 Timothy 3 it talks about what a godly man should look like. In 1 Timothy 3:11 it tells of what a godly woman (the wife of a godly man) should look like. It states, "in the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." Here again speech is important to God. God wants wives, sisters, girlfriends, daughters, and also husbands, brothers, fathers to watch their words. Largely that is what is going to impact our respect and reputation. One way that our heart is revealed is through the words we say. People take notice when we purposely try to do good, to bless with our words and actions. Proverbs 22: 1 says, " a good name is to be desired more than great wealth, favor is better that silver and gold. Also in Proverbs, chapter 31, is states that an excellent wife, or godly woman, is far above jewels of great wealth. I want my life to reflect one of worth, and I want to build worth and value into others. I want to speak well to my friends, future husband, children, friends, family. I want to be a woman of respect because of the words I say.
I also want to be purposeful with the words I say. A good visual of this was given as I walked the halls of my college, I came across an entire wall of letters. A title at the top of the wall said, "Letters I wish I could write." It must have been a class project of sorts. These letters were written to mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, best friend in ninth grade, to Fred who let me sit at his table in fifth grade. The sad part was that all these letters , these words were words that people wish they could have said, but never did. I want to be purposeful with my words. I want to say words that have meaning. I want to turn those words into words that I could say, or should say.
So I guess I invite you to do the same. To be careful with the words you say, words can't be taken back. To be purposeful to say words that will bless others. To not be like those people that have words that they wish they would have said, but to say them! And to show that you are a person who loves Jesus through your actions and speech.
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