Words are my jam. Lyrics, novels, hand-written letters, journaling, and analogies are among my favorites. The ones kindly spoken and those that inspire healing, their power leaves me awed. Words are carriers of healing and conduits of hurt. We have the ability, with very little effort, to build up or destroy. What a responsibility we have with our choice of words.

On the regular, I am awakened in the night with words that are pressing on my mind and heart. My earliest memory of this was in third grade. It was a poem. The entire thing was written, and I was rehearsing it in my head. In my naivety, I returned to sleep thinking I would remember it and write it down in the morning. When morning came, it was gone. The whole lovely thing was as if it had never been. I’d like to tell you I learned from that decision, but countless other words have been lost in the middle of the night.

Other opportunities to share words came and went just as quickly. These weren’t a result of my decision to choose sleep over getting up to write. When that friend gets the acknowledgement that I so wanted, and I choose to remain silent. When my loved one is pouring out their heart, and I withhold words of encouragement. When I’m angry at someone and choose to fight the battle inside my head and refrain from giving an audible response. The silent treatment is just as powerful as words aptly spoken. Silence speaks, after all.

Words are carriers of healing and conduits of hurt. We have a decision to make every time we open our mouth. Words don’t have to be your jam to have power and meaning. I’ve heard many excuses for silence offered: I am not good at public speaking, I can’t put words together like so and so, I get too nervous and start to stumble over my words. Yet, we all want to be the recipients of encouraging words, texts, phone calls, or prayers. To be receivers, we must first be givers.

Today is a good day to measure our words. Let’s revive the elementary teachings about testing words before we release them. Is it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? If I’m honest, much of what wants to emerge from these lips is unnecessary. We would do well to guard our mouths, but we must also be careful not to take our voice hostage and never share.

Consider these thoughtfully crafted words:

“Words are like eggs dropped from great heights; you can no more call them back than ignore the mess they leave when they fall.” Jodi Picoult, Salem Falls

“Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.” Blaise Pascal

“I would go to the deeps a hundred times to cheer a downcast spirit. It is good for me to have been afflicted, that I might know how to speak a word in season to one that is weary.” Charles Spurgeon

“Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness.” Mother Teresa

“Speaking recklessly is like the thrusts of a sword, but the words of the wise bring healing.” Proverbs 12:18

Release a kind word today, friends. Be givers of hope and purveyors of joy!

#MomentOfTruthMonday #CarriersOfHealing #ConduitsOfHurt

#ChooseWell #KindWords #Thanksgiving