I want you to remember that old saying, “Think before you speak.” Once words leave our mouths, they can’t be taken back.
Hello, Quarantine Day number 10,311 or something like that. How are you doing working from home, schooling children at home, raising kids at home, doing marriage at home, making disciples at home, cooking nonstop at home and doing dishes and laundry that never end at home? Do you get the picture? Remember when your house used to feel big?
Somedays, you may feel like there’s no place to hide. Take courage, my friends. This is a chapter in your life that you will look back on one day and I hope that you are able to look back on it and hold your head up knowing you did it well and did it intentionally.
Mostly, I want to encourage you to think about your words. With the walls closing in and so many people always underfoot, there are lots of words in our homes right now. Our words carry weight and can influence the mood of our entire home. We are modeling to our children how to handle change, stress, family life and, being honest, chaos.
“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
Proverbs 15:1
I want you to remember that old saying, “Think before you speak.” Once words leave our mouths, they can’t be taken back. They can hurt or they can build up. They can encourage or they can be sarcastic. They can bring laughter, or they can spur on dissension. My life verse when my son was a teenager was Proverbs 15:1, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”
I also want to point out that even though something is true, it might not be best said out loud. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. The people in our families are the most important people in our lives and we love them the most. So shouldn’t we use our most caring and kind words with them, above all others? Our tone is just as important as our words.
“May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to you, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”
Psalm 19:14
I want to issue a challenge to my friends this week. Would you measure every word (and tone) you speak by whether or not it is pleasing to the Lord? Psalm 19:14 says, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable to you, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.”
Maybe you don’t have a struggle with ill-spoken words. But if you do, let’s be honest with ourselves, repent and turn from that behavior and seek forgiveness from Father God and maybe even your family, if necessary. I’m praying for you. We are in this together!
Please follow the link below to find this week’s complete lesson for a special time of worship this Sunday with your children.
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