Dave's Diary

Today we’re starting a new five-week series of devotions based on Bible passages which demonstrate different ways we can minister God’s love to others. The five weeks are loosely based on Gary Chapman’s “Five Love Languages”, but the devotions are not directed at the ministry of romantic love. Instead they are about how we can minister love to friends, colleagues, acquaintances, family, or even strangers. Our first week is about how we use our words to minister God’s love.

Daily Readings: Proverbs 16:24 and 18:21

²⁴ Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
    sweetness to the soul and health to the body…

²¹ Death and life are in the power of the tongue,
    and those who love it will eat its fruits.

These proverbs simply state the facts any of us can observe in our daily relationships. The words we speak can either be life-giving to others – ministering encouragement, kindness and grace; or they can be destructive – penetrating people’s hearts with anger, hurt and discouragement.

In regard to Proverbs 18:21, the Jewish collection of teachings, the Midrash, points out one way words can destroy: ‘The evil tongue slays three, the slanderer, the slandered, and the listener.’  That’s worth thinking about carefully.

I am painfully aware of how I sometimes unintentionally harm others by the things I say, so I invite you to join me in asking God’s forgiveness for times we have been guilty of that in our weakness or ignorance. But I also invite you to join me in praying that the Holy Spirit will anoint our tongues to speak words of life, health, grace and truth to others today.

Lord, I long to be a speaker of life, to bless others with words of kindness and care, compassion and encouragement. Please anoint me Holy Spirit, and speak Your words of life through me. Amen.