It’s most likely common knowledge. You probably know this already. This is nothing new. Yet, I feel like I need to say it anyway:
Your words matter.
You see, words have power. The power to encourage or the power to tear down. The power to wound or the power to heal. The power to cause fear or to cause fear to run.
Whether you realize it or not, every time you say or write something your words have an effect on your audience.
It could be a conversation with your spouse that is edifying and beautiful or it could be an argument with your spouse where you blast them for their insufficiencies.
It could be a Facebook post you write that rips into someone else for what you think is some wrong that has been done to you, or it could be a note of encouragement that you send to someone who you know has been having a rough week.
Be careful. What you say (or write) betrays what’s on your heart. Luke 6:45 says:
“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
That’s pretty self-explanatory. Your mouth shows the world what you’re putting in your heart. Garbage in, garbage out. Or … gratefulness in, gratefulness out. It’s your choice.
Pay attention to what you’re saying. Your words have the power to destroy or call forth life. What effect would you rather your words have?