DAY 12

God Bless you people of God

Reminder: Read Proverbs 12 and pray 3 times today

Focus Text: Proverbs 12:13-19

13 An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk,
but a righteous man escapes trouble.

14 From the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things
as surely as the work of his hands rewards him.

15 The way of a fool seems right to him,
but a wise man listens to advice.

16 A fool shows his annoyance at once,
but a prudent man overlooks an insult.

17 A truthful witness gives honest testimony,
but a false witness tells lies.

18 Reckless words pierce like a sword,
but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

19 Truthful lips endure forever,
but a lying tongue lasts only a moment.

Reflection: Our Focus text educates us about lip service. Wisdom nugget: There is great power in what you say. Many of us talk a "good game" yet have serious trouble when it is time to step to the plate. I believe we have trouble because we neglect the power of our tongues. Sometimes we just speak without thinking and find ourselves wishing we could take it back. It is frustrating because so many people speak to us without considering the power in their words, but those of us who understand the power and privilege of the tongue must manage our tongues differently. A solution here is be "slow to speak and quick to listen." Honestly, people of God, we can no longer afford to speak without regard and without purpose. The ears of the world need to feel the power of a God-inspired tongue. The more I reflect, the more I consider why God gave our tongues so much power. It is probably because God intended for us to depend more on whats inside than outside. Our words come from within, our actions come from without. Our words are a manifestation of whats in our hearts. Our actions usually send deceiving messages. When we think about it most of Jesus' miracles came as a result of something that came out of his mouth. God probably intended to show us that our hands can build a house but our tongues can build communities that will inhabit and maintain the house. There is great power in what you say! Let us consider what we say...that is the wise thing to do.

Have you built someone up lately? Have you said an encouraging word to someone lately? Is your tongue an instrument of praise or curse?

Consider your words
Be blessed
C