ICS Daily Devotions
Guard Your Lips
Colossians 4:6 (NKJV) Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.
The Apostle Paul is encouraging us to respond with gracious words when we answer someone. It means we should be gracious rather than blasting or lashing out at the person when we hear a negative comment, a bad report or a mismatch of expectations. We should respond with grace and words that are seasoned with salt because we understand and appreciate the unconditional love that God has for us despite our shortcomings. We love because God first loved us. When our words are seasoned with salt, it means that they are kind, edifying, meaningful and truthful. We will be very conscious of how we speak after we are born-again since we have a cleansed conscience. We can utter a prayer where we ask God to allow the words of our mouth and the meditation of our hearts to be acceptable to Him. God is our strength and redeemer. We can do ALL things through Him who strengthens us. We have to guard our lips and bridle our tongues so that our speech will always be with grace and seasoned with salt.
Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV) Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.
The soul comprises the mind and emotions therefore pleasant words are like a honeycomb to it. Every one of us should speak words that edify, affirm and comfort. Pleasant words make a person feel good especially those whose love language is words of affirmation! We have learnt that words can hurt and destroy a person’s self-esteem. At times, our body reacts to the word that is being spoken about/to us but we do not understand its reaction.
The authors of Words Can Change Your Brain, Andrew Newberg, M.D. and Mark Robert Waldman wrote: “a single word has the power to influence the expression of genes that regulate physical and emotional stress.”Positive words, such as “peace” and “love,” can alter the expression of genes, strengthening areas in our front lobes and promoting the cognitive functioning of the brain. They propel the motivational centers of the brain into action, explain the authors, and build resiliency”. According to the same authors, “Conversely, hostile language can disrupt specific genes that play a key part in the production of neurochemicals that protect us from stress. Humans are hardwired to worry – part of our primal brains protecting us from threats to our survival – so our thoughts naturally go here first.” (https://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/therese-borchard-sanity-break/420/)
We need to stop being harsh and unkind with our words toward others, to those we love and in the family of believers. The words we speak matter to the people around us especially if they respect us. As Christians, we should practice speaking the word of God over our lives and the lives of our loved ones! Let’s guard our lips and speak words that encourage , motivate, edify and uplift the people around us. We can choose to speak what we believe is in line with what the Word of God teaches us. We can also choose to frame our world with God’s help through our spoken words.
Sermon Series: Ouch! It Hurts!
