Thought for Tuesday, October 30th

October 30, 2012

The Power of Positive Speaking

“Blessed is the man who, having nothing to say, abstains from giving us worldly evidence of the fact.”

-       George Elliot

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

Ephesians 4:29

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Proverbs 16:24

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.

Ephesians 4:25

Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.

 Proverbs 20:15

A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Proverbs 25:11

Ironically, it seems, that most parents and grandparents can’t wait to start teaching a baby to talk – yet over the course of a lifetime it is often that ability to talk that causes a majority of life’s problems

It is not the inability to speak that causes the issues: rather most frequently it is the failure to speak correctly.

Often we feel we have to speak with clever words of deception to avoid hurting some ones feelings: and though we don’t intend to be dishonest; we in effect avid the truth.

Or at other times we speak rashly without thought or concern for fact or appropriateness of the words we choose.

The fact of the matter, is simply this, we need to always speak truth, with love, not to hurt or condemn, but rather to encourage and help.

Scripture tells us life and death is in the power of the tongue.  Amazingly our tongue, which is what we use to make the sounds we emit, is one of the smaller parts of our body: yet if we would use our minds, and be influenced by our hearts, I often wonder if our sounds would be more productive.

Speaking positively does not necessarily mean we have to use only flowery words: but it does mean we need to speak with purpose for good and we need to allow our communications to be seasoned with love and when we don’t have anything worthwhile to add or contribute, sometimes it is good to remember that ‘silence can be golden.’

Today’s Prayer

Father, I know I often have a lot to say: may I learn to make what I say be more profitable and positively productive to help others draw closer to you.

“Purify my heart

Let me be as gold

And precious silver

Purify my heart

Cleanse me from within

And make me holy

Refiner’s fire

My hearts one desire

Is to be holy

Set apart for You my Master

Ready to do your will.“

-  Lyrics from ‘Refiner’s Fire’ by Brian Doerksen