Every day you and I give people an impression of who Jesus is by the words we use.  Are they hearing, or reading, words from you which would draw them to Christ or push them away?  Are you using words which draw you into greater relationship with God or words which create distance?  Over the next 14 days I will be sharing from the devotional journal, “Watch Your Mouth”, with the prayer that it helps you discover some of what God has to say about choosing words which honor Him.

Here is day eighteen with an important reminder that watching your mouth should lead you to use words which are reliable.

Choose Reliable Words

“Have I not written thirty sayings for you, sayings of counsel and knowledge, teaching you true and reliable words, so that you can give sound answers to him who sent you?”
Proverbs 22:20-21 (NIV)

Do you know anyone with a reputation of “being as good as their word”?  What do you think of when you hear that phrase?  Would the people around you say that you are a person of your word?  What things make the words of some people seem to be more reliable than those of others?  Do you believe the Bible to be the reliable words of God?  How often do you turn to the Word of God to choose reliable words?  How does choosing reliable words help you to give sound answers to those you are accountable to?

When we hear, or use, words that appear to have no intention of being kept, trust is often an early casualty.  Our commitment to choosing reliable words helps other to not only trust us, but to trust the things we say about our relationship with God.  As you pray, ask God to help you weigh your words carefully in considering how reliable they are.  Pray that you would know the reliability of the words of others before you even consider sharing them.  Pray that your word choices would help you to be a reliable witness to others of the power of Christ in you.

In prayer,

Tom