Tag: Sweet words

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Sweets for the soul.

Reading Time: 2 minutes

“Kind words are like honey— sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭16‬:‭24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Sweets to the sweet,” Shakespeare writes in Hamlet, where Hamlet’s mother, Queen Gertrude says this in Act 5, scene 1 of Hamlet at Ophelia’s funeral, spreading flowers on her grave.

Sweet words spoken to one another are far more effective and necessary IN someone’s life, rather than at the end of someone’s life. I say this at every funeral. There is a moment in most memorial services where someone eulogizes the loved one who has passed. The word eulogy is two words in greek, combined into one, “good word.” It is often translated in the New Testament as “blessing.” When parents brought their children to Jesus and the disciples wanted to stop them, feeling like it was bothering the Master; Jesus said “Do not block or barr” the children from coming to me. Then Jesus blessed them, he eulogized them – speaking good words over their lives.

This is not only the high standard of how we should treat one another, it is also a wonderful piece of proverbial wisdom. Because, when we speak kind or good words, it’s like we pass out candy to a toddler’s delight! Our words become tasty, and thus healthy to the soul. Honey is said to have incredible health benefits for our body. And here, among the wisdom sayings, it is listed as caricature for both soul and body.

When we speak kindness, we speak health! When we use kind words in our conversations, it’s like we are handing out free blessings as trick-or-treaters come to our door on hallow’s eve. When we greet those who serve us with kind words, we are like the sweet grandma that always has candy handy for her grandchildren. This proverb is a reminder, not only that this is how Jesus spoke to children and adults, representing the very nature and character of God. But also, what happens when we choose to speak sweetly, kindly to each other. So share a chocolate kiss in words to the next person you greet!

Prayer

Dad,
I am reminded of Paul’s words to the churches in Rome, that your kindness is intended to lead us to repentance! Thank you for pouring out the sweet, healing nature of your word. Thank your for mercifully, gently, patiently pouring out grace and speaking life over us and into us. Help us simply do the same for others, as you have done to us. Amen.

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Lizard brain conversations.

Reading Time: 2 minutes 
“From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.” Proverbs‬ ‭16:23‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Several axioms pop into my head when I read these passages about WORDS.

One: “if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” Two: “Better to be silent and thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” Three, incorrectly attributed to St. Francis Assisi: “Preach the gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” The Franciscans are hopping mad about that wonky phrase being stuck to their founder. The closest quote Francis wrote is, “All the Friars… should preach by their deeds.”

These wisdom words out of Proverbs seem to be positive about speaking words. Words shape people’s thoughts! The cousin to this proverb is “The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive,” Proverbs‬ ‭16:21‬, adding the word “pleasant.” The Hebrew word is metheq: sweetness. And in verse 23, the key word is sakal: consider. Both verses, in Hebrew, are for the purpose of learning. These wise, sweet, considerate words are good for folks who want to learn. Their minds and hearts are open and ready to receive, like eager students who love understanding new concepts in school.

You know what’s sad? Humans are oftentimes to impatient to learn. Do you know what kind of words get quicker results, in terms of action? You guessed it – angry words! Accusations, angry, hateful words move MOBS! Crowds love angry words. No thought, no learning, no homework necessary. Just throw out the vile, trashy rap and it triggers the ol’ amygdala, the “lizard” brain.

Oh man, God’s ways are NOT our ways, His thoughts are NOT our thoughts – wisdom uses a different methodology. You notice how much of our country is filled with angry words and not sweet, persuasive words? Yeah, because we’ve stopped listening, stopped learning. And the results are clear, we’re just behaving like a bunch of raw emotional, darwinian neanderthals looking for a war!

Wisdom itself is a slower path, definitely one less traveled. Followers of Jesus must, must, must believe and behave differently! We must continue to use sweet, considerate words – wisdom words to persuade. Here’s the prefect contrarian picture out of the gospels. The crowd is screaming crucify and Jesus is saying, Father forgive them. Which words sound like wisdom?

Prayer

Dad,
Ouch, those proverbs sting a little. I have a lot of angry thoughts and want to let them fly out of my mouth! Your word challenges me to not only think through my words but choose them carefully to teach and persuade rather than just rile up a crowd and send them off, moshing into the world. I am so thankful for the tools of wisdom to help navigate our angry world.