Inspirational Monday: Offering Gracious Words

Words have power, and how we choose to use them affects us and those around us. How do we choose gracious words over all others?

 

 

“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (Proverbs 16:24)

 

In my house, we spend a lot of time talking about talking. Good words, bad words. We talk about negative ones that cut and the positive ones that lift us up.

It’s easy for children to see the effect others’ words have on them, but a lot harder to see how their own words affect others. Compassion and empathy are things that they need to be taught and reviewed often.

I can’t say it’s much different for us adults. How often do we say harsh things to others and to ourselves? How many times a day do we hurt people with the bite of our words?

Sometimes the situation makes it difficult for us to work up a kind word. I know that Las Vegas traffic makes me practically twitch with the need to offer some stinging criticism to the cars that cut me off on a daily basis, even if their drivers will never hear it.

Since I usually have a child or 3 in the car with me though, I’ve found that I need to hold my tongue. Like we parents are wont to say: “If you haven’t got anything nice to say, then say nothing at all.”

But it’s more than just holding back mean retorts and hurtful comments. Saying nothing is the only thing we can manage at times. But wherever possible, we should be trying our best to offer gracious and kind words. Ones that will encourage and heal those around us.

 

 

Leaning on God’s grace for our words

When left to our own devices, we can be judgmental, self-serving, gossiping, and prideful. Our language can be coarse, our words bringing more people down that they build up. Which is why we should never rely on our own strength when we have the strength and grace of God available to us.

God’s grace and love and Jesus’ compassion for others are the ultimate examples of how we can learn to be more gracious with our words. Remembering how forgiving He has been with us, how loving despite faults, how much He appreciates every unique thing about us can help us, too, to show this with our words and actions to others.

We can never see into the heart of another as God can. But we can try. We can hold back unkind words when we change our perspective and see things from another point of view. And we can be gracious when we remember how gracious God and others have been to us.

We can heal those whose hearts hurt when we choose to be sweet rather than salty. This is a gift that we can give each day. With smiles and acts of service, but also with the little comments and reactions we give. Let us each brighten the day of another by focusing on offering gracious words to those in our lives, no matter what the circumstances.

 

Have a blessed Monday!

 

Looking for more encouragement and inspiration today? Try these posts:

Words That Heal and Words That Hurt

Responding with Gentleness

Clothe Yourself in Kindness