“Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up as there is need., so that your words may give grace to those who hear” Ephesians 4:29
Words
When I was growing up we used to chant, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” But the truth is that unkind words can often hurt more than a broken bone, and they can impact our lives for decades. Our words carry more weight than we realize. King Solomon said “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Every day, whether we realize it or not, we are shaping reality for others by the words we use when we speak to them. Words are extremely powerful. They have power not only to help and to heal, but to hurt and humiliate. Those who are in positions of leadership can empower people and make them want to press on, or minimize them and cause them to give up. God’s spirit dwells within every human being, and kind and gentle words have the ability to bring about positive changes in even the most hard-boiled individuals. And those words may give grace to those who hear them and to those who speak them as well.
lhart@gwi.net
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