Words with Friends

“Let the words of my mouth . . be acceptable in Your sight.” Psalm 19:14 NKJV

For better or worse, your words create your world.

Today my thoughts and comments are about “words with friends.”

Words seem such small things when spoken; their sound lingers only a moment but their effect can endure in hearts and minds for a lifetime. “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless. (Josh Billings) For better or worse, your words create your world, and shape the world of others around you.

Conversation is the foremost interaction between individuals, the means by which you communicate thoughts and feelings, convey understanding, and express delight or displeasure. I recently read this relevant quote, “The real art of conversation is not only to say the right thing at the right place but to leave unsaid the wrong thing at the tempting moment.” (Dorothy Nevill, 1826-1913) I think the latter is the more important, yet also most difficult of the two to master. Some of us just seem to have too many tempting moments to resist. Read Ecclesiastes 5:2 NKJV.

Within your words is the awesome power to repair a broken heart or a fearsome potential to wreck a life. Solomon understood that diverse potential as he wrote, “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit . . Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Proverbs 15:4/18:21 NKJV. When a child, a person takes two years to learn to talk, but the rest of their life to choose and control their words. It is no challenge to recognize that simple reality.

The Bible recognizes our common dilemma of an unruly tongue, “For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body . . And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members that it defiles the whole body . .” Read James 3:2-12 NKJV. What is easy to say becomes hard to forgive, and not always possible to repair. Careless words usually fill the vacuum left when you have nothing worthwhile to contribute. Read Matthew 12:35-36 NKJV.

Let your words be always kind and gracious, loving and generous, true and trustworthy, uplifting and edifying, and healing to others, not hurting them. See Colossians 4:6 NLT. “Until we all . . become mature . . speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him . . the whole Body grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work . . building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen.” Read Ephesians 4:13-19/29-30 NIV. It is not only what you speak but why – always for another’s blessing and benefit, and to the glory and honor of Christ. “Let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” 1 John 3:18 NKJV.

But how? Is there an answer? Of course, but the answer is in God not yourself. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and Redeemer.” Psalm 19:14 NKJV. Before you speak, consider carefully if your words pass the litmus test of Godly conversation – “acceptable in Your sight, O Lord.”

My prayer for you today is that your words reflect the One who is the Living Word.