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Speak Life
Gò0dNews for Life
Speak Life
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by Dorothy Teague
Have you ever heard the chant: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me”? Nothing could be more untrue. Words do hurt! Harsh words can wound the spirit deeply and are more difficult to heal than a wound on our body. Words matter, especially from a Christian.
Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.” You can use your words as a weapon to wound others or you can lift
up and encourage someone. Ephesians 4:29 reminds us, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” I am one of the worst when it comes to speaking impetuously before running it through the filter of the Holy Spirit. (Not everything we think needs to come out of our mouths.) I have also said hateful words when I felt like my character was being attacked and felt on the defensive. Words born out of hurt and bitterness can easily slip out of my mouth when I have slacked on spending time with God and asking for His help to forgive someone.
While these reactions are common to us all, there is one thing wrong with this picture—it is not showing that we have the mind of Christ. “‘For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?’ But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16). We live in this world but we are not supposed to be of this world. “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” (John 15:19). It is so easy to get into the habit of just striking back with words to wound others as they have wounded us. My sister, Kay, has always given me Godly counsel to “walk in love” when I would ask her advice about a relationship problem. Ephesians 5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Loving people when they do us wrong is not an easy task, but it is the way we can imitate the One who loves us and forgives us constantly of our own wrong doing. Sometimes, getting a whipping on the playground of life would be easier to get over than words lashed out at you, which settle way down deep in your spirit. So, as Christians, we must constantly be vigilant in prayer and ask the Lord to put a watch before our lips. The enemy is always lurking about and wants to twist our words and use them against us. He likes to take every opportunity to be divisive and drive a wedge between people. We, as children of God, need to speak life to others and lift each other up. A kind word goes a long way and helps us all on the journey. “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, Oh Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).
About The Author
Dorothy Teague is a Tennessee native, who resides in McMinn County with her husband, Lewis, on their farm. After completing 31.5 years as a teacher in the Bradley County School System, she is active in her church at Eastanallee Baptist Church where she is a member of the choir and praise team.
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