That She May Know

You know what’s frustrating? Spilled coffee. A few days ago, I was meeting a friend for some girl time, but I stopped at Starbucks first (shocked, anyone?). I ordered a venti iced coffee, with 4 pumps of pumpkin, and topped with pumpkin cold foam. If you haven’t tried the pumpkin cold foam, get to it. It’s a game changer. Anyways, as I was leaving the store, I tripped on seemingly nothing except my own two feet. Thankfully, I caught my balance and nothing more happened. However, as I got into the car and took that first sip, the lid must have loosened because somehow I managed to spill some on my shirt from top to bottom. I tend to be klutzy and these kind of things happen often so I just laughed, grabbed a fresh shirt, and continued on my day. But later I realized how perfectly this situation fits in with what I’ve been learning about my words and the power they possess. You see, the barista put into my cup exactly what I ordered. She filled it with iced coffee, pumpkin, and cold foam. So naturally, when I spilled it, that’s what came out.

Well the same is true with our words. The Bible says that what comes out of our mouths is a reflection of what’s in our hearts. And we all know that what is in our hearts has a whole lot to do with what we are allowing/putting in.

“A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.” Luke‬ ‭6:45‬

I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure I want the condition of my heart to be based off of the things I say. At least not always. Because the reality is, sometimes my words hurt. Sometimes I spend more time complaining or being negative than I should. And unfortunately, sometimes I even choose to gossip. And just like the coffee I spilled all over my shirt could not be neatly placed back into my cup, once the words have been spoken they can’t be taken back. Forgiven? Absolutely. Erased? Not a chance.

The Bible talks a lot about the tongue and the power it possesses.

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.” Proverbs‬ ‭18:21‬

“Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!” ‭‭James‬ ‭3:5‬

Y’all, the things we say can either bring life or death! That’s a lot of power for such a small member of the body. ‬No wonder the tongue is mentioned numerous times in the Bible.

Our words should bring life. Our words should honor the Lord. Our words should reflect the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives. But it takes discipline. We have to be IN the Word, saturating our mind with Scripture. We must be aware of and sensitive to the Holy Spirit. The more our hearts are filled with the right things, the more our words will reflect that. Scripture tells us that even the fool is considered wise when he is discerning with his words.

“He who has knowledge spares his words, And a man of understanding is of a calm spirit. Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; When he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive.” Proverbs‬ ‭17:27-28‬

Choosing NOT to gossip, complain, or be negative is a beautiful, wise and rewarding decision to make. I love Proverbs 16:24 that says, “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.” Words are powerful, and when used properly they can make a world of difference.

I came up with an acronym for the word honey. It serves as a reminder for me. A reminder to ask myself the following questions before spouting out words. Maybe it will help you, too. (Click here to save this acronym for later!)

Are my words sweet like honey? Do they…

🍯 H – Honor the Lord?

🍯 O – Only speak good of others?

🍯 N – Neglect negativity?

🍯 E – Encourage and edify?

🍯 Y – Yield to the Spirit?

None of us are perfect, but maybe the above questions can help us remember to think before we speak. To always leave a conversation having been an encouragement. To refuse gossip when the opportunity arises. To be a woman whose words are gracious, uplifting, and honoring to the Lord. For gracious words are sweet…sweet like honey. And who doesn’t like honey? 🍯