Pr. 18:20, 21 Our words have the power to be life-giving or life-damaging. Our words, whether spoken, sung, or written, have potential for good or bad. Acts 15:30-32 These words brought joy, encouragement, and strength.

Jas. 3:2 It’s like Christ to control our words. 3:3, 4 Our words give direction to our lives (bit, rudder).

Jas. 3:8 We need God’s Holy Spirit to help us bring our mouths under his Lordship and to speak with wisdom at the proper times. Pr. 16:23 By God’s grace, we can even speak convicting or correcting words in a life-giving way. Godly wisdom adds learning or “persuasiveness” (ESV) to our words.

Our words

I. Reveal Pr. 12:17; 26:23-26

Our words reveal our heart, perspective, and values. Our words reveal faith in our heart, our thoughts and the full range of our emotions. Our words reveal our perspective. Accurate or not, our perspective is our reality. Elijah’s perspective was based on a lie in 1 Kin. 19:10.

Our words also reveal our values. Pr. 12:17 NLT “An honest witness tells the truth; a false witness tells lies.” Ungodly values are revealed by deceiving, flattering, gossiping, and destructive words.

Pr. 18:8 TPT “The words of a gossip merely reveal the wounds of his own soul, and his slander penetrates into the innermost being.” Godly values are revealed by honest, encouraging, caring, and edifying words.

II. Hurt or Heal Pr. 12:18, 25; 15:4; 16:24

Hurtful words can pierce into our heart and spirit. These words can impair us if we allow them to do so.

Thank God, for the healing power of wise words. The word for health in 12:18 and 16:24 means healing, remedy, calmness, composure. It is translated “wholesome” in 15:4.

12:25 Anxiety in our heart can lead to depression. Wise words, good words, can help calm our heart from anxiety, give us joy, and have a healing, life-giving effect on our soul and body. We’re to be honest about our circumstances and how we feel, but “don’t park there,” on the negative. Dwelling on what is negative or wrong will not help us or the situation. Scripture tells us to meditate, that is, dwell on and declare the life-giving word of God. By God’s grace, we can do what his word tells us to do.

The real key to speaking wise, life-giving words is not in our mouths, it’s in our hearts Mt. 12:34-37. The battle within our hearts to do right or wrong is due to sin Pr. 20:9. The sin in our heart separates us from God, condemns us, and causes us to break God’s commandments.

Thank God, he loved us so much that he gave his sinless Son to suffer and die on the cross to take the condemnation and judgment for our sins. Three days later, Jesus rose from the grave in power. If we believe God’s word with our heart and receive Jesus as Lord, he forgives our sin and gives us his righteousness.

His Spirit then enters our heart to empower us to do God’s will. He helps us up when we sin Pr. 28:13. He helps us grow more like Jesus.

How will you stay close to the Lord and speak wise words this week Ps. 19:14?