Last week we looked at how showing mercy can open the door to healing and redemption in a divisive world. The words we use can help restore broken relationships and improve our current ones.
Controlling our tongue is the one of the hardest things in life. Peter tells us, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech.” 1 Peter 3:10
A way to live in peace is to watch your words and your reactions to other’s words.
We all regret things we’ve said? Part of managing our words in conversation is defining what we mean. Words don’t always mean the same thing to all people. If one person says that’s bad, does that mean really bad or totally awesome? In difficult conversations define your words when necessary.
Words hurt. Words heal.
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18
You can break a bone and it might take six weeks or a few months to heal, but some of you have been holding onto words for far too long. Emotional wounds take a whole lot longer to heal than physical wounds.
Our words can heal or tear down, delight, destroy, encourage or discourage. We can either compliment and encourage or destroy a relationship by our words. Most of you know what I’m talking about. You don’t want to destroy someone that is so precious to you with your words unintentional or not.
Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. Romans 14:19
Maturity grows when our concerns for others are greater than for ourselves.
God made us different and he did it on purpose. No one has the total picture and perspective on everything. You and I don’t have it all together, but we do need community. Despite our painful histories we need each other. God made it that way!
God wants us to use our differences to enrich each other’s lives rather than to divide us. When we live out the six heart attitudes that we’ve been looking at in the last three blogs it will improve all of our relationships and reduce conflicts. Now, isn’t that what we all want and need?
