APRIL 30 - The Power of Words
3-Year-Bible Reading: Proverbs 15:7-9; Romans 15-16
________________________________________
“The lips of the wise spread knowledge; not so the hearts of fools.” — Proverbs 15:7 (ESV)
“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through the endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” — Romans 15:4 (ESV)
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” — Colossians 3:16 (ESV)
________________________________________
We’ve all heard the saying, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But let’s be real—words can hurt. In fact, they can have a deeper impact than any physical wound.
That’s why Proverbs 15 reminds us of the power our words carry: "The lips of the wise spread knowledge..." When we speak, we can either bring life and understanding or chaos and confusion.
Romans 15 encourages us to remember why the scriptures exist—to give us hope through the endurance and encouragement they offer. The Bible itself is full of words that can change lives. And just like the scriptures, we, as followers of Christ, are called to use our words in a way that encourages, uplifts, and gives hope to others. Our words are powerful tools, and we are stewards of them.
________________________________________
THINK ABOUT IT
1. Your Words Matter: How do the things you say impact the people around you? Do you use your words to build up or tear down?
2. Encouraging Others: How can you use your words today to encourage someone? Think about a verse or a kind word you could share that would make someone’s day better.
3. Reflecting Christ: In what ways can you make sure your words reflect Christ’s love and hope? Are there areas where you could improve in being more intentional with your speech?
________________________________________
BOTTOM LINE
Your words have the power to shape hearts and minds, whether for good or bad. Let’s use our words to spread knowledge, offer encouragement, and reflect the love of Christ.
________________________________________
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, thank You for the power of words and the wisdom in Your Scriptures. Help me to be mindful of what I say and how I say it. May my words always reflect Your love and bring encouragement to those around me. Teach me to use my speech to build up, not tear down. Thank You for the hope You give through Your Word. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Special Summer Offer: Exclusively on Apple Podcasts, try our Dateline Premium subscription completely free for one month! With Dateline Premium, you get every episode ad-free plus exclusive bonus content.
On Purpose with Jay Shetty
I’m Jay Shetty host of On Purpose the worlds #1 Mental Health podcast and I’m so grateful you found us. I started this podcast 5 years ago to invite you into conversations and workshops that are designed to help make you happier, healthier and more healed. I believe that when you (yes you) feel seen, heard and understood you’re able to deal with relationship struggles, work challenges and life’s ups and downs with more ease and grace. I interview experts, celebrities, thought leaders and athletes so that we can grow our mindset, build better habits and uncover a side of them we’ve never seen before. New episodes every Monday and Friday. Your support means the world to me and I don’t take it for granted — click the follow button and leave a review to help us spread the love with On Purpose. I can’t wait for you to listen to your first or 500th episode!