Pleasant words are a honeycomb,
sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.
Proverbs 16:24
A perverse man stirs up dissension and
a gossip separates close friends.
Proverbs 16:28
A man of knowledge uses words with restraint,
a man of understanding is even tempered.
Proverbs 17:27
Words. Our words are important. They bring healing or they bring harm. They bring life or they bring death.
I have been on the receiving end of gossip and hurtful words. They cut deep and leave a scar. I have also been on the giving end of gossip and hurtful words, most unintentional and some intentional. I see what gossip and hurtful words do. I see the web they weave and the mess they make. Once words are out there, they can't go back in. You cannot erase words from someone's memory. It's like that tube of toothpaste, once you squeeze the toothpaste out, there is no way to put it back into the tube. Words cannot be unspoken.
I encourage you. I challenge you. I dare you. Before you speak, ever, ask yourself these six questions:
- Are these words necessary?
- Does this person need to know this?
- Are these words true?
- Are these words coming from a pure heart?
- Do these words bring life?
- Do these words sadden the heart of God?
If you answer no to just one of these questions, or if you answer yes to the last question, you should not continue with the conversation. Be quiet. Do not proceed.
Go back and reread these verses in Proverbs. Be careful of what you say and who you say it to. Let your words bring life.
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Thanks for sharing this! I hate gossip and yet too many times I find myself caught up in it. Its defintely something God is working on me!
ReplyDeleteIt is easy to get caught up in gossip. We must carefully watch our words and watch what we hear. Thanks for stopping by Leah, God bless!!
DeleteHi, Jennifer! Great verses! I agree, words can be very powerful! I love the song called "Words" by Hawk Nelson. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anVweXDcxhA)
ReplyDelete*Quick question: Not sure if I'm misreading this, but you said that if we answer "no" to any of the questions that we should keep quiet, but the last question was, "Do these words sadden the heart of God?" If we answer "yes" to that one, we should not speak. Is that what you meant?
Blessings to you! In His Love, Ann @ Christ in the Clouds
http://christintheclouds.blogspot.com/
Hi Ann! Words by Hawk Nelson is one of my favorite songs. So powerful. I actually posted that song here in a blog post earlier this summer on another post about our words.
Delete**THANK YOU for catching my goof!!! I wrote those questions a few weeks ago in my journal after a very hard moment of being hit with gossip about my family. I was so upset and hurt that I wrote quickly and never caught that. I am going in to edit right now. Thank you dear!
Words take so little time to say but the impact of them can last a lifetime. May we each have the wisdom to remember to pause and ask some needful questions before we speak. Have a great day!
ReplyDeleteWanda, so true. Our words take very little time but leave a lifelong impact. Thank you for stopping by, God bless.
DeleteThis is a great reminder, Jenifer. I wish I could take back all the thoughtless words I've uttered over the years; I cannot, but I can be mindful of the words I speak in the future. :-)
ReplyDeleteI, too, wish I could take back some words. But we can only focus on the tomorrows. God bless!
DeleteHi Jenifer,
ReplyDeleteOh yes, may my words to others be sweet as honeycomb, to encourage, and uplift, and reflect the beauty of the King of kings.
Thank you for your post and for commenting on my butterfly post at Scattering the Stones. Your kind words were such a blessing to me. :)
Yes, may our words reflect the King! Amen. God bless, Anita.
DeleteI am working on my words. I can be so quick to lash out with harsh words. But we can never get them back. I want my words to drip with the love and encouragement of Christ. Blessings!
ReplyDelete