Words are makers and killers
Able to aid and to rob
O the tongue, the power it wields
To ginger and to plunder!
The victim is not those without
The speaker is the biggest victim
The greater loser of its own devices.
Before you speak, stop and ask;
How come the promise that propelled
Me thus far suddenly appears a trap,
No longer a treasure? If the land truly
Flows with milk and honey as promised
Why can’t I believe Him who says
It will be mine? If the land truly consumes
Its dwellers, how come they are giants?
Why do I suddenly see me
Like a hopeless grasshopper
And they, intimidating giants?
It may be time to embrace words
That make than rob our promises
That build than destroy destinies.

Food For Thought: How many times have we heard people who proudly proclaim, “I don’t hold back, I just say it as I see it!” As if failure to watch our words is something to really be proud of. Even from my own life, I realized that my biggest undoing has not been what others think or say or make of what I do and say. My greatest condemnation has been the ones I passed on me by my own words. Yes, the words of strangers have hurt and those of kit and kin even the more but the ones that hurt the most have been the very words that came out of my mouth. When Scripture encourages that we watch our words, it is not just so we don’t hurt others. It is primarily for our own benefit. Just like we cannot love others without first learning to love ourselves, we cannot edify others with our words when we continually condemn and slay ourselves with our own words. The charity of change must truly being at home, in our hearts, with our words, first in our thoughts, then to ourselves before we can extend it effectively to others. Every one of us need help in this department: may God help us all to set a guard over our words and allow grace to continually flow thereof.

Scripture: Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18: 12.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I rededicate my tongue today to grace, Your grace O God! And I rededicate my ears to You today, to listen, hear, and meditate, not on the disastrous news spreading around, but on Your Word that is able to make me all that You have promised, amen.