DECEMBER 21, 2012
Sweet
Words
Read: Proverbs 16:19-24
Put on
tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering.
—Colossians 3:12
Scott
had always admired the relationship between Ken and Phyllis,
his wife’s
parents. So he asked them one day what made their
marriage work. Ken replied,
“You need to keep it sweet!”
A
friend of mine concludes many of her notes to me and my husband
and other
friends with these words: “Remember to be good to each other.”
That’s
great advice from both of them about being kind. The daily
stresses of life can
easily cause us to get irritable with our spouses or
with others. We pick at
the little annoyances or criticize minor habits.
We blurt out harmful, unkind
words without thinking.
The
book of Proverbs gives us counsel about the words we use with
others. It says,
“Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his
soul from troubles” (21:23). And
there are these warnings: “Death
and life are in the power of the tongue”
(18:21); and “Reckless words
pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings
healing”
(12:18 niv). Ken’s
advice about “keeping it sweet” reminds me of
Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words
are like a honeycomb, sweetness
to the soul and health to the bones.”
Lord,
fill our hearts with words that will be a blessing to others today.
Instead of hurling angry words
That wound and stir up strife,
Use words of kindness, filled with love,
That heal and nourish life. —Sper
Kind hearts are the gardens; kind thoughts are the roots; kind
words are the flowers; kind deeds are the fruits.
Source:
Our Daily Bread 2012
