OUR WORDS AND THOUGHTS

OUR WORDS AND THOUGHTS 
by Pastor Mark Taylor

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acCeptable in Your sight, O Lord” Psalm 19:14

The words we use come from our  thoughts.  So it is important that the thoughts we have are good thoughts.  The  words we use and the words we hear will often determine the quality of relationships with others.  We can choose to use words that build and strengthen our friends and make them feel loved and appreciated.  They can also be a source of healing for those who are struggling in their lives.  “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and health to the bones.”  (Proverbs 16:24).

As Christians, and children of God, our words and thoughts should  be good words.  Almost every day of our lives is filled with opportunities to encourage and build up the people we love. “Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things where we may build up one another” (Romans 14:19).

We can give compliments.  Many people are doing things for us that make our lives more enjoyable and easier.  The person who serves us in a restaurant or a store, family members who cooks for us or keeps our house clean, or the child who does something that was good or helpful.  Look for the good and take a few minutes to comment on it.

We can express admiration for those who are achieving  things in their lives through hard work.  When someone completes a goal that we know they have been working on for a long time, we should congratulate them. This can be anything from completing an academic accomplishment to losing weight.

We can tell others how much we appreciate them.  Even though we don’t mean to do it, we often take our friends and loved ones for granted and forget that they need to receive outward expressions of love and appreciation.  Words can motivate people to do more for you and for themselves.

And while we are at it, Our Heavenly Father and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, would appreciate some compliments, thanks, admiration, and words of love from us.  “Oh that people whould praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works toward His children” (Psalm 107:8).

I have heard many people say that it is not easy for them to be a person who openly shows appreciation and love.  If that is true, then you need to pray that the Lord would give you that ability and desire.

How does a person become this positive, complimentary, loving person, who was raised in a completely opposite environment?  In can start with the prayer in our verse above.  

Words are choices.  So we need to ask the Lord to help us chose the words that would please Him as we talk to others.

We need to meditate on things that are positive.  Read books that have uplifting messages in them.  Limit the amount of time you watch TV that has negative thoughts presented in the characters and message they are presenting.  “A good person, out of the good treasure of the heart brings good out good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings out evil things”  (Matthew 12:35).  So it is important what we put in the treasure chest of our minds and thoughts.

Loving words strengthen friendships.  Good friends let us know that we are special and why.  We need to learn how to communicate and give positive feedback from time to time to our friends, 

By the way, the Lord Jesus would appreciate some of that positive feedback.  For instance: “I love the Lord, because He has heard my voice and my supplications.  Because He has inclined His ear unto me, therefore will I call upon Him as long as I live.” (Psalms 116: 1-2).  

“Friend” is one of the most positive and powerful words ever invented.  To call someone a friend is to give one of the highest possible compliments possible.  That is what the Lord Jesus considers you and me - His friends.  “This is My commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this than to lay down one’s life for his friends.  You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.  No longer do I call you servants; for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father, I have make know to you.”  (John 15-13-15).  

Let us all begin to look at our thoughts and words and make them a gift to the Lord.  Let’s use our words to bring healing and hope into the lives of others.  “Anxiety in the heart of a person causes depression, But a good word makes it glad.” (Proverbs 12: 25).