Tuesday, February 18, 2025

New Testament Reading Plan: Romans 11

Have you ever heard the phrase, “a picture is worth a thousand words”? While this may be true, the fact remains that the words we speak have a powerful impact as well.

Think back to a time when you may have said something to someone out of anger or frustration. How do you think that made them feel? Or maybe someone said something demeaning to you. If you’re like me, I’m sure those words stung more than a little.

The Roman poet, Horace, once said “words uttered can never be recalled.” Think about that for a moment; once words leave our mouth, they cannot be put back in. Oh, we can try to mend the damage through apologies or “I didn’t mean it,” but it’s too late. The sting of the spoken word has already been felt. What does the Bible say about our words?

Matthew 12:36
And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.

Here are some interesting facts: The average person speaks about 16,000 words a day. That’s 112,000 a week and about 5.8 million words a year. That is the equivalent of over 60 books per year.

So the question is, if we are speaking that many words, how many are spoken idly? How many of them have caused pain for someone, or maybe even caused a downward spiral in their life? Whether you believe it or not, no matter who you are, your words have power. Your words matter.

With this in mind, don’t you think we should choose our words carefully, wisely seeking God’s guidance as to what we say and when? If we allow God to guide our heart and mind, and use our words in a positive way, we can build people up, not tear them down. What a difference that could make in someone’s life, as well as our own!

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but we can use the power of those words to paint a completely different picture in someone’s life.

The bottom line is: Choose helpful and healthful words.

The next time you are tempted to speak out in haste, for whatever reason, consider the impact those words will have on the receiver. Your words matter!

Questions:
Have you ever been really hurt by something someone said?

How did that feel?

Have you ever felt guilt over something hurtful you have said?

Next Steps:
Continue watching the I Said This, You Heard That series.

Ask God to guide your speech when interacting with others.

Think before you speak.

Prayer:
Heavenly Father, so many times I have spoken out in anger and haste and caused pain to someone in my life. Help me to pause before I speak. Give me wisdom to seek your guidance in all I say and do. Guide my heart and mind so that my spoken words can be positive and helpful to others instead of destructive. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

Proverbs 18:21
“The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

This post was written by Ned Miller, a Findlay attendee and regular contributor to the LivingItOut.