My closest Companion,

I would never want to hurt You

 

My beautiful Encourager,

I don’t want to grieve Your heart

 

And it hurts to think that I could do that

 

And yet I do

 

With my words

 

My words to people

or about people

Unneeded words

Gossip

Slander

Harsh words

Complaining

 

Quick to speak

slow to listen

 

They are all the opposite

of worshipful

 

They do not bring You honor

or glory

or joy

 

Their root is self

and sin

 

And so, my closest Companion,

my precious Holy Spirit,

I seek to worship You

with my words

 

I choose to bless

and not curse

those who have been made in Your image

 

I choose to say no

to gossip

and slander

 

I choose to express gratefulness

and not complaints

 

I choose to say what is helpful

for building others up

 

I choose

to choose

my words carefully

 

For You, Holy Spirit,

dwell in me

 

And the last thing I want to do

is grieve my God,

my Gift

 

– Susie Stewart

 

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. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

– Ephesians 4:29, 30 (NIV)

 

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.

Don’t grieve God. Don’t break His heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for Himself. Don’t take such a gift for granted.

– Ephesians 4:29,30 (MSG)

 

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.

– James 3:9, 10 (NIV)  

 

With the gift of words, we bless God and then turn around and curse husbands, children, and others created in God’s image.  This is serious – because when we curse others, we are in effect cursing God and obliterating the previous act of blessing…..When James used the word curse, it meant much more than cursing and swearing.  Unkind words about a neighbor, child, husband, or anyone who is made in the image of God count as curses.

– Linda Dillow

 

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

– 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NLT)

 

Photo by Andy Stewart