Daily Devotional

Monday, 19th September

Topic: Using words well

Bible Passage: Proverbs 18:1-6

“The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters….” (v.4)

Words that men speak are effective and powerful and so very productive. Negative words can plague, hunt, torment, wound and cause pain. In fact through spoken word a person can be destroyed.

But positive word can heal, gratify, pacify, is sweet and can build. According to our passage words of a man are deep waters which are to say human words has deep effect to the human person.

We must then understand why God gave us words as He used His words to create He expects us also to do that. That is to say that our words can create good or bad things, it’s the will of God that we use it to create good things.

We must not forget the word of God which says that life and death are in the power of the tongue and they that love it shall reap the fruit from it (Proverb 18:21), so whichever way we use the tongue to speak words, such words must attract a corresponding consequence. James discussed words from the tongue “The tongue is an unrighteous world among our members. Staining the whole body, setting on fire the circle of nature, and set on fire by hell” (James 3:6), words we speak can set a community on fire but with deadly consequence of suffering for it after the words has gone out and summarily burning in hell eternally. How should we use the tongue to speak words? Whatever anyone speaks comes from the heart through the mind, and according to the Bible people always speak out the abundance of the heart. Those who speak sound positive words do so because their hearts are right and sound and vice versa. Apostle James maintains that if a man is able to control offence that can come from abuse of tongue in the use of words, the person is perfect. He further said such a person can bridle the whole bod. A man that can control his speech can control the other parts of the body.

Hence we control our spoken words by taming our tongue, control our words making sure that whatever we speak must be able to edify. Our words must be used to build up people. Our word must be used to bless people. “Let it be that through the words we speak, men learn wisdom” (Malachi 2:7). Our words must function like salt that seasons meat and related substances preventing them from getting rotten.

Action: The words of a king are the words of wisdom for the instruction of many. Can somebody learn anything good from your spoken words? Use words to build not to destroy.

Prayer Points

1.       Oh Lord, give us understanding of the weight and effects of human words.

2.       Grant me the spirit and power of self-control and proper use of words.

3.       Direct my tongue aright o Lord so that the word I speak may build and not destroy