It does not take long, when you are growing up, to realize that the words you hear have a huge impact on how you feel. When someone tells you something nice and uplifting, you feel good inside. And when someone tells you something negative and cutting, you feel terrible inside. It does not matter if what you hear is true or not. To make matters worse, so often those negative words are not said in love but are said with sarcasm. My parents told me a million times, “If you can’t say something nice, then don’t say anything at all.” Wise advice! Even better, it is a great way to live your life!
Too many people feel like they have the gift of exortation and need to use it frequently. They dislike others to criticize them, but they find pleasure in making other people miserable. An unknow author states it well, when he said, “The unfortunate thing about constructive criticism is that nobody really appreciates it as the one who’s giving it.” Some people are criticial of others, but cannot stand to be criticized themselves.
The Holy Bible commands believers to speak words of love and grace. This is not just something put into Scripture to take up space. It is placed there for the believer to put into daily practice. So many hard feelings in and out of the church occur when believers say harsh words.
It is time to replace all those negative, harsh words with positive, uplifting words. Agree with the psalmist: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14; NKJV).
Ask Christ to give you uplifting words to say. Let your life be one where others always treasure the words you say!
