Your words can bring two things. First, encouragement. Ella Wheeler Wilcox said, ‘A pat on the back is only a few vertebrae removed from a kick in the seat of the pants, but is miles ahead in results.’ Solomon said, ‘Kind words heal and help; cutting words wound and maim’ (Proverbs 15:4 TM).
When life is hard, ‘a word spoken at the right moment how good it is!’ (Proverbs 15:23 AMP). Hope pierces the despair, and people begin to believe that they really have a chance to make it. Many a wounded soul has got through their deepest valley on the strength of a word of encouragement. ‘Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones’ (Proverbs 16:24 NIV). People wounded by life are healed by words of encouragement. Just a card, an e-mail, a phone call, the Bible calls them ‘apples of gold in settings of silver’ (Proverbs 25:11 NKJV).
Second, your words can bring salvation. ‘The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who is wise captures human lives [for God, as a fisher of men, he gathers and receives them for eternity]’ (Proverbs 11:30 AMP).
The highest use of your tongue is telling others about Jesus. He doesn’t need to be defended, just introduced. ‘The mouth of a good person is a deep, life-giving well’ (Proverbs 10:11 TM). You can speak life-giving words to those who are lost, and help change their past, their present and their future. Your words can also help people to mature and grow in their relationship with God. Yes, ‘The lips of the righteous feed many’ (Proverbs 10:21 NAS).
