Giving Up Useless Words

At the beginning of this blog series, I wondered if I could find 40 different things to give up.  As a list of possible topics started to form, I suddenly realized I wouldn’t have any trouble at all!  Looking through the ever-growing list, I saw some themes, such as fear that I spent a week blogging about near the beginning of Lent.  This week, another theme emerges: words.  No, I’m not giving up talking or blogging all together, but I’ve come to realize that at times the words I use aren’t necessary or helpful.  At my worst, my words can tear down and hurt people around me.

Words have power.

Proverbs 12:18 says:

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

And later on in Proverbs 18:21 we read:

Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.

I want my words to be words of life and healing.  Ephesians 4:29 puts it this way:

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.

I pray, that with God’s help this can be a week where I can speak only words that matter!  I can give up the corrupt, unhelpful, hurtful, or even just unnecessary words and speak only words that offer grace to those who hear.  One translation puts it this way:

“Speak only words that make souls stronger.”

While definitely not Scripture, I think Kid President also has some wise words on this topic:

“If you can’t say anything nice, you’re not thinking hard enough”.

Let’s think hard this week. Let’s speak words of life!