Speak gracious words! – Dr. Paul Dhinakaran

“The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious” (Ecclesiastes 10:12) 
Words are compared to food. Words can make us feel happy and satiated or can make us sad and hungry for love. The words of God bring life. God teaches us that ‘man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’ (Deuteronomy 8:3). Jesus was fasting in the wilderness yet He was fed by God’s words and that kept Him full. The same way, our words also has an effect on people. When people appreciate or speak good about us, we become satisfied over what we have done. It brings us joy. The same way when people insult us or mock us, it depresses us. We should therefore speak words that nourish others. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:6). The words that you speak should be tasty to the heart that hears. “The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious” (Ecclesiastes 10:12). If you speak such gracious words you are wise in the sight of God and man. 

Years ago, my sister Angel and I were driving to the airport to receive our parents. I drove the car very fast that night as we were late. Suddenly, I saw huge tin tar boxes kept on middle of the road. I applied the brakes so that the car wouldn’t hit the tins but the car spun in the other direction. It went straight to hit some policemen who were standing there. They all jumped here and there and saved their lives. Finally, the car screeched to a halt, but my heart was beating very fast. The policeman came near my sister’s window and shouted. He said, “Why are you driving like this? You would have hit everybody.” I was trembling with fear but my sister Angel did not fear. She answered the policeman saying, “Sir, today there is no moon and there are no street lights. Everything is dark and in this darkness, you have kept black tin boxes. How do you expect us to see? That’s why my brother could not control the car.” That policeman was shocked on hearing this and sent us away after cautioning us to go safely and requested our dad to pray for him. The words my sister spoke with grace saved us from trouble. So words can save us if they are gracious.

Jesus also says that what we speak reveals who we are for He said, “for out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34). What we think in our heart is what we land up speaking. We should love people even in our heart so that our words toward them will be loving. So we need to ask the help of the Holy Spirit to guard our heart and our words. Concerning the tongue God warns us in James 3:6, “The tongue also is a fire, a world of wickedness among the parts of the body. It pollutes the whole person, sets the course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” When Isaiah had a vision, he was reminded of his unclean lips. Then one of the seraphim brought live coal in His hand and touched his lips and atoned for His guilt. Today, the blood of Jesus can purify us from our guilt and purify our lips and tongue so that we only use our words to build and bless lives.

Prayer:
Loving Heavenly Father,

Purify my lips with the blood of Jesus. Forgive me if I have hurt others with my words. Lord, guard my heart so that it will overflow with love resulting in words that build the lives of people around me. Let my speech be seasoned with salt that brings health to others and does not depress them.

In Jesus name I pray,

Amen.
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