"Pleasant words are as an honeycomb,
sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."
- Proverbs 16:24

Words can either harm or heal.  They can either lift up or tear down.  What we say can bring both happiness and hurt.

Throughout Jesus' ministry He was constantly talking - teaching and training.  Sometimes He spoke of wonderful things like "living water" and "the bread of life."  Sometimes He spoke words that brought healing and cleansing, both physical and spiritual.   Sometimes His language performed miracles.   At other times He said things that were painfully true.  He spoke about subjects that offended.   He even exercised "holy anger."  But, ALWAYS, He spoke out of love.  

A few years ago, my wife came home visibly shaken.

She had, obviously, experienced a rough day.  Tears were not yet falling from her tender eyes, but they were forming.  I could tell she was trying hard not to cry.

"What's wrong?"  I asked softly.

"I lost $150 of the money I was collecting for school." she replied between sniffles.

Now, you've got to realize that when this happened, $150 was a lot of money to us. (still is!)  We were in a very difficult financial situation and losing any money was painful, but $150..

...that was almost more than we could bear.  Thus, her sad disposition.

At this point, the flesh could have reared its ugly head and I could have said something like, "Honey, I can't believe you just lost $150!  What did you do with it?  How could you have let this happen?  Don't you realize how financially strained we are?  You've got to be more careful!"

But, I ask you, would that have helped at all?  First, she knew we were in a financially bleak situation.  She had no idea where the money was, or she would have returned to get it.  She knew how to exercise care with money.  She felt horrible already. And, the bottom line is, being rude and insensitive wasn't going to bring the lost money back.

So, being led of the Holy Spirit, I walked to my office, opened my safe where I kept the money that I had saved from my birthday and I took out $100.  I walked back into the living room, laid it on the table in front of my wife and I hugged her.  "I love you, honey," I whispered into her ear.

I'll say it again, words can either harm or heal.  They can either lift up or tear down.  What we say can bring both happiness and hurt.

Today, you will interact with people, perhaps many people.  What will your words do?  Will they be destructive and hurtful?  Or, will they be encouraging and healing?

Will they say, "I can't believe you'd do something so stupid"? Or, "I love you even when you make mistakes"?

What Would Jesus Say?