Oh, the Power of WORDS!

"May the words we speak to others offer hope and healing. May the words we whisper to ourselves be just as comforting. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14" 1

I copied the above from Liz Curtis Higg's status post on Facebook this morning. I have struggled with words my whole life. I was, unfortunately, "blessed" with the gift of sarcasm. And I've battled with it for a long time. Some days I'm victorious, some days I fail. James wasn't kidding when he said, "Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell" (James 3:5b-6) So, while there is small comfort in knowing that I am not alone in this struggle, I know that I need constant vigilance to battle it.

Psalm 39:1 (NIV) I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth ..." Boy, do I need a muzzle some days! Psalm 141:3 (NIV) "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips." I think I should make this my life verse.

Again, James says, If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man [woman!], able to keep his whole body in check (James 3:2b NIV). How much easier is it to avoid other temptations - push away from the table when I'm full, walk past that shop where those shoes [or dress, purse, necklace, whatever] that I don't need try to lure me in, turn off the TV, etc. - than it is to shut my mouth! I need to learn to put on my heavenly muzzle every morning when I'm putting on my makeup, instead of waiting till I'm tempted to say what I shouldn't say.

How about you? Will your words today bring hope and healing to others, or even to yourself? Or will you wish you'd put on the muzzle?

"...Lord, Fill my mouth with worthwhile stuff, and shut it when I've said enough. Amen"2

Ruth

Ruth Schmidt is on full-time staff at America's Keswick, and grateful to be a daughter of the King.

1 - copied from Facebook post, Liz Curtis Higgs
2 - copied from Facebook post, Karen G.

DIGGING DEEPER
Proverbs 4:
23Keep your heart with all vigilance,
for from it flow the springs of life.
24Put away from you crooked speech,
and put devious talk far from you.