When I was a little girl we used to take long road trips in the big family car.  My parents would get us up early; often before the sun was up to get on the road with the promise of syrup covered pancakes further down the road. Sometimes we would return from our trips late, late at night; everyone would seem to fall asleep~ Except me ( I can’t sleep in moving vehicles!) and my father who would always drive.  As a little girl I had anxiety that my dad would also doze off as the driver so I would sit behind him and try to continually engage in conversation with him. I needed to know he was wide awake!! I think I thought I was somehow doing him a favor~~I am sure I must have driven him crazy!!  I remember one particular time that he turned to me and said “You just talk too much!!”  He had every right to say that; but my little heart was wounded that day.  The OUCH of words.  My father is a wonderful, wonderful man, one of my greatest supporters in my life, but he must have been so exasperated with his chatty daughter!!  Interestingly enough though, I still remember how it made me feel as a little girl.   I remember that it made me wonder if what I said held value.

Our words.

I can remember as a young mother mindlessly making statements to my sons in frustration or weariness. These words were irritable and negative.  I am sure that these words hurt their feelings. These words did not bring “Life”. Looking back I probably owe them many apologies for things I said in haste!

Our words.

It’s funny how our words can impact lives so deeply, for good and for harm. Statements like ” don’t be stupid”, “you’re just not good at that”, “you’re a pest”, or “can’t you be more like  ___________” are so harmful!  These words cannot bear fruit in anyone.  Sadly enough, sometimes we say these things to ourselves long before anyone ever says them to us!! These words cause us to become downcast and insecure; hopeless!

Hawk Nelson has a new song out called “WORDS” where some of the words say:

Words can build us up, words can break us down,

Start a fire in our hearts or put it out!

Let my words be life……………….

However, the impact of statements like ” yes, you can!”, “You are full of potential, “I enjoy being with you”, and “sky’s the limit for you!” have equally as powerful an impact on us! These words breathe life helping us to dream and believe in the possibilities; hope filled!

How do you speak to your spouse, your children, co-workers, or extended family?  Do your words bring life? Are you intentional and mindful about what you say? That little old “Golden Rule” still applies “Do (say) unto others as you would have them do (say) unto you! 🙂

But if you need a little more back up the bible is full of verses on the power of the words we say ~ so it must be an important issue for us all to address!!

Proverbs 16:24        Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Matthew 15:18       But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person.

Proverbs 25:11       A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver.

Colossians 4:6       Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

Life is full of challenges for us all~ we all want to be around people who breathe life with their words….so let’s BE those people! 🙂