Words of Blessing

Words of Blessing

Have you ever been blessed by the words spoken to you? I’m sure you have. The spoken word can never be reversed or taken back. Once it is spoken – it is out there, doing whatever the sender meant it to achieve. The spoken word can bring blessing or cursing. Cursing may be brought simply by derogatory or insulting remarks. Many words spoken to children hang as curses round their necks. Words like, “You’ll never be any good.”, or “You are lazy and good for nothing”. Our words, especially to our children are supposed t edify, to build up, to encourage – not to pull down.

It is the same with our words to each other. As my Granny used to say, “If you cannot say anything good, then best say nothing at all.” But if I may confess something here, my own words have often been  more curse than blessing. My humour is very sharp and I tend to tease somewhat beyond what is normally acceptable. It has been sharp of late and the Lord has actually told me that I am in danger of speaking curses rather than blessings. I have had to repent and change my speech from undermining to edifying and blessing.

Now, twice today, I have been blessed beyond measure by the kind words of others, and it is as if the Lord is showing me what my words can achieve rather than what I have been achieving. This morning, a dear brother sent me an amazing text blessing. I read it at work and I just stood, speechless at his verbal generosity. What he said blessed me so much that I was actually very close to tears. Another friend came up and asked me if I was OK. All I could do was hand him my phone and walk away. Then again this afternoon, my wife and I received another completely surprise and moving compliment from a lady friend. These two words “blessed my socks off” and I will remember them for a long time.

Thus the Lord brought correction and blessing to me today by demonstrating the power of words of blessing. Words of cursing bring nothing but trouble and death. Words of blessing bring life and the love of God into peoples lives.

Words of cursing pull down. Words of blessing build up, edify, encourage, and bless. I know which way my words are intended to go from now on.