“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29
There is tremendous power in words that come from our mouths. It’s like seeing a tiny spark and creating fire with it. Both written and oral, words can either break or build someone up. A simple word, phrase, or sentence impacts someone’s life. However, not every word from our mouth encourages a positive change.
One of the best ways to be good followers of Christ is by affirming with words. The words we use can either give grace to the people who hear and read them or not. We are reminded only to speak wholesome words. This means not speaking words that are not useful or discouraging.
On the other hand, wholesome words can build a person up. These are words that can encourage, strengthen, uplift, and motivate. Affirming with our words also means declaring something positive about that person. It is seeing past their weaknesses. It is being able to see their full potential.
Many times, we are careless with our words. We are not always careful with how we react. There are also instances where we are not gentle in talking to people. This especially happens when we are with our loved ones. There are instances where we fail to affirm them because we’re used to being with them.
If we want to be more effective in speaking wholesome words, we must practice discipline in affirming people. Affirm them not only because they’ve done something good but also recognize their efforts. Learn to say “Great job!”, “Thank you” or “That’s okay! You can try again”, or “I believe in you.” It’s not so hard to say those things.
Be more vocal in speaking life to the people you love. It won’t hurt to say “I love you,” “I appreciate you,” or “I’m grateful for you.” Even a simple gesture of smiling, giving a hug, or a simple pat on the back can already make a tremendous difference. It will take us less than five seconds to say or do these things, but we’ll never know how much impact it can make in their lives.
Words are painful when not used correctly. Remind yourself every day to be very careful with your words. You’ll never know how much it can build or break someone’s life.