Words

A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.  Proverbs 15:1
This is my all time favorite verse, probably because it applies so much in my life.

I spend much of my day guarding what comes out of my mouth and not just the words but the attitude behind it.  But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.  Mathew 15:18  Knowing that what comes from my mouth is in my heart makes me battle harder to speak in a God honoring way.  As I struggle to not snap at my husband or yell at my children I'm reminded that God gave me words for edification.  Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.  Ephesians 4:29  How can I praise a perfect and holy God then turn around and speak unkindly to my family?  What kind of witness do I have in my home and in the world without kind, soft spoken words?  I'm a sinner that God is growing into the godly woman who loves her family and desires to honor them with her words.  There are times that I get frustrated because once again I have said something I regret as soon as it comes out.  Then I remember, I serve a very forgiving God.

God never ceases to amaze me because His words are always encouraging even when mine aren't.  I'm so thankful that God has given me a manual for this life so that I can strive to be more like Christ.

There's a song called "Words" by Hawk Nelson that seems to be written for me.  The verse that stands out to me most is "I don't wanna say a word unless it points the world back to You."

Angie