February 16, 2024
Pleasant words are a honeycomb; sweet to the soul and healing to the bones. (Proverbs 16:24)
Some people consistently speak "pleasant words." This doesn't mean they're always gentle words or not strong people. But their words are kind, gracious, cheerful, and delightful to hear. Pleasant words.
David said that such a person, speaking in such a way, is "sweet to the soul." I always think of the soul as the mind (with which you think), the emotions (with which you feel), and the will (with which you decide). Think of how pleasant, kind words are. They are not bitter, harsh, disturbing to the mind, emotions, or will but sweet, precious, and life-giving.
And, they heal. We hear a lot that disturbs, disquiets, and disrupts us. Such words cause division and anxiety. In a conversation about almost any subject, I know people who will say words that hurt others … demeaning or destroying.
Others build me up. Like Paul's admonition in Ephesians 4:28, our words should be words of "edification, fit for the moment, that give grace to those who hear."
Think of all the places you need to be speaking pleasant words—in your home, to your co-workers, in your church and community. There are not any people or places that would not be blessed and helped by your gracious, God-filled conversation.
These words must come from a heart filled with Christ and his kindness, for "the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart” (Matthew 12:34). You cannot ignore Christ and speak pleasant words. In Him alone, we have life and give life. The one who has surrendered to Christ’s control is capable of life-giving conversation.
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