Watch What You Say

by Joyce Meyer

 

And let us consider and give attentive, continuous care to watching over one another, studying how we may stir up (stimulate and incite) to love and helpful deeds and noble activities.
—Hebrews 10:24

I have written in this devotional about the importance of loving people with our words .The carnal (lower, sensual) nature points out flaws, weaknesses and failures. The flesh is quick to talk about the things others do wrong or the mistakes they make. It likes to gossip, and say things like, “Did you hear that So-and-So got fired for being late so many times?” or, “Did you hear that So-and-So’s husband left her for another woman because she nagged him all the time?” The flesh seems to feed on the negatives in life. It sees and magnifies all that is wrong with people and things. But the Bible says in Romans 12:21 that we are to overcome evil with good.

Walking in the Spirit (continually following the prompting or leading, guiding and working of the Holy Spirit through our own spirit instead of being led by our emotions) requires being positive. God is positive, and in order to walk with Him we must agree with Him (see Amos 3:3).

It is easy to find something wrong with everyone, but 1 Peter 4:8 says, “love covers a multitude of sins.” Love does not expose people’s faults and talk about them; it covers them. Believing the best about people and speaking words that build them up is one way of loving them.

Parents, employers, friends, husbands, wives, children—all of us need to make a commitment to love people by saying nice things about people in the privacy of our own thoughts and with the words of our mouths. We need to build confidence in others by speaking well of them. We need to speak positively when talking to them and when talking about them to others. Use your words to bless others and cover their faults and shortcomings.

Love Others Today: Lord, help me to choose my words carefully today.