Ungracious Words

"The gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness therein is a breaking of the spirit." -Proverbs 15:4

This is my cat telling me what she thinks about being at the Veterinarian's office.  It's a good thing I don't understand cat language because I'm sure her words are not nice.  Maybe that is why we get along with animals so well--we don't understand what they are really saying.

Between people, however, words make a big difference in our relationships.  Not only the words themselves, but how they are said.  In today's Our Daily Bread Poh Fang Chia writes about "setting a guard over our mouths."  Words DO have power over us, if we let them.  But more importantly, understanding others, as well as ourselves--that words merely reveal our hidden selves--should make us more careful about tending to our relationship with God.  If we are truly given over to the Lord, totally, only gracious words will come out of our mouths.  The moment something ungracious comes out, we should realize we've allowed our human nature to take control of us again.  Put God back on the throne and you will find words of grace to heal and love others.

I am grateful that there is a cure for my unruly tongue.