Tag: Proverbs 16:24

Encouraging Words for Your Soul

1 Thessalonians 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Yesterday as I was walking through Kroger to get a few things for my sister in laws birthday, a gentleman stopped me to share a few words of encouragement with me. I was shocked. All I could think at first was, how did he know I needed to hear those words? How did he know I needed those exact words of encouragement to keep going another day? How did he know that I was feeling tired and out of sorts and needed. . .God. That is how he knew. God knew. God sent me a sweet word of encouragement through a total stranger.

Has that ever happened to you? Have you received a word from a total stranger that encouraged you and turned your day around? Or have you been led to speak words of encouragement to someone you did not know? It is such an amazing gift, no matter what side you are on, the giver or the receiver. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Kind words are like honey – Sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” An encouraging word offered at the right moment can be the difference between a good day and a bad day, between finishing the race and collapsing, or even between life and death.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” It can not get any clearer than that. We are called to encourage one another. We are called to build each other up. We are the hands and feet of Jesus here on Earth and when you feel that nudge to speak words of encouragement to someone…anyone…do it. The words will be sweet to their soul and your soul.

Lord, thank you for encouraging words. Help me to be sensitive to others needs and give me the courage to speak encouraging words to those whom you place my path. Amen.

Sticks and Stones

Proverbs 18:21, “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

Have you heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break your bones, but words will never harm you?” This is the biggest lie ever told to children. I understand why we teach our children this, but it is so not true. Words do hurt and once they are said out loud, they are awfully hard to take back. They are out there. Hanging in the air. Stored in your mind and weighing on your heart. Words can either speak life or speak death. Our tongues can build others up, or they can tear them down. Choose kindness above all things. It not only lifts them up, but it also lifts you up.  Proverbs 11:17 says, “Your own soul is nourished when you are kind, but you destroy yourself when you are cruel.” 

Because of social media the ability to comment on someone’s post is so easy. We type something and move on to the next post. We do not see the person’s face or reaction to our comment. This gives us the false sense that what we say in our comment does not matter, but it does. Written words hurt just as much as spoken words. In fact, most people will go back again and again to read the hateful words that somebody wrote. If you do not have anything nice to say, you should probably not say anything at all. Just keep scrolling by. For Proverbs 11:12 says, “It is foolish to belittle a neighbor; a person with good sense remains silent.”

Negative words spoken or written are so much easier for anyone to believe than the good stuff. But the good stuff can make such a difference in someone’s life that you should be looking for ways to speak life. Speak love. Speak salvation. Speak grace. Proverbs 16:24 says, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”

Jesus was very clear in Matthew 12:35-37 about the consequences of your words.  He said, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. The words you say will either acquit you or condemn you.”

I know that you are probably a good person, but do your words reflect that? Take time today to reflect on that question.

Jesus, thank you for coming to save me from my sins. I have said things that have hurt people. Please forgive me for my careless words and give me the wisdom to think before I speak moving forward. Help me to speak life and love to those around me. AMEN.