"Your Words"

August 03, 2020 | By Chuck

“Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person”(Col.4:5-6). Your words matter and they are powerful. With your words you can make a positive or negative impact. Your words can build up and encourage others or they can discourage and destroy them. With your words you can begin a relationship or end a relationship. Your words can be helpful and healing and they can also be hurtful, vindictive and spiteful.
Our words have so much influence on others that we must always think before we speak. It’s no wonder why Paul would teach that our words should “be gracious” and “seasoned with salt”. Our words should be kind, full of grace and hopefully bring a positive flavor to the conversation. Use your words for good, to educate and encourage. Our world has plenty of negativity, so fight the temptation to speak unkind or ungodly words. “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving”(Eph.5:4). I think we’d all do well to practice the old saying, “if you don’t have anything good to say, then don’t say anything at all”. Sometimes when it comes to your words, less is best.
“Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger”(Jas.1:19).