Have you ever opened your mouth and said something, immediately wishing you could take it back? I think we've all been there, and probaby more than once!

Words can be sweet like the juice of a fresh picked apple in late summer. Words can be to someone as valuable as pure gold or priceless as polished silver. Words fitly spoken can be the source of life to the hearer.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver." (Proverbs 25:11 KJV)

This scripture is precious to me in that it speaks of words, and I tend to be a woman of many words. Hopefully most of them are fitly spoken words. At times, however, words come out of my mouth that tend to be thoughtless and meaningless, not the kind of words spoken of in Proverbs 25:11.

Words frame pictures. Words express intangible thoughts. Words convey feelings and emotions. Words stir up response. Words, once spoken, can never be taken back but are forever loosed into the atmosphere with the potential to either propagate life or cut it off. Words build up, encourage, edify, or inform, or they tear down, hurt, oppress, or kill. Our words have power to affect a situation, a life, a family, a community, and even the world. Words are powerful!

My goal today is to use words carefully, to be selective in my speech so as to encourage, build up, and edify my husband, my family, and those with whom I communicate both locally and internationally.

What do your words do? What kind of power do your words have? Do you speak words of life? Take notice today and every day ... use only words that are fitly spoken.

Father, forgive me for often being careless with my words. Lord, help me to carefully choose my words so they will produce life in the ear of the hearer. Help me to speak only words that are "fitly spoken." Amen!

© Jan Ross
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