Are Your Words Building Others Up?

Every Word You Say Is a Brick—Are You Building or Breaking?

This morning, during my prayer, devotional, and meditation time, I was reminded of how very important it is to choose and use our words wisely. I reflected on Proverbs 18:21, which states, "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit." Simply put, there are consequences to our words and how we use them.

Becoming more mindful of our words and their impact on us and others is a worthy pursuit to revisit. It is also important to note that our words and actions may be the first time someone sees Christ at work and hears the message of the gospel.

The devotion I read today reminded me of something I've learned over the past five years—how to practice the pause—and how that lesson ties seamlessly into biblical truths.

The acronym is THINK. When faced with a situation, our first goal should be to pause and ask ourselves the following:

• Is what I am about to say thoughtful?

• Is it honest and helpful?

• Is it intelligent?

• Is it necessary?

• Is it kind?

  
  

Then, I reflect on my answers. If any of them are answered with "no," I typically will not share my thoughts, or I will reevaluate how to communicate what I would like to say.

My study of God's word this morning also aligned with this approach. It reflected on Ephesians 4:29:   "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

What a great reminder that our words are like bricks—they can either build or break spirits!

The devotion also encouraged asking yourself:

1. Is your message helpful?

2. Is your message truthful and encouraging?

3. Does what you are about to say add value or benefit to those who may hear it?

   
   

To summarize: Is what you are about to say helpful, necessary, and beneficial?

The next question, which was my favorite, is: "Is what I am about to say a message of HOPE?"

I love this because, as humans, we can be so hard on ourselves. This is a great reminder that we—and those we interact with daily—need hopeful, encouraging words to build us up! This doesn’t mean we avoid difficult conversations, but it does mean we can approach them more directly and with love.

A challenge for you:   How can you work this into your everyday life? How might it benefit you? Would you like to learn more? If this speaks to you and you'd like to have a conversation surrounding this topic and how you can incorporate these and other communication techniques into your daily life, I invite you to book a free conversation with me or subscribe to my Blog to stay connected.

Grace to you,

Cindy

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