Speak Life

It's no secret music speaks to me. It resonates with my soul, It focuses my distracted mind. It calms my overwhelming anxiety. It brings peace to my fears. It comforts my anguish. It soothes my fluctuating mood.

This catchy upbeat tune by Toby Mac didn't have much meaning for me other than the beat was easy to become a "car jam." Then I actually listened to the lyrics and realized there was a message that would resound stronger than the notes or beat. 

"We can turn a heart with the words we say."

How true this is. How guilty I am. How quickly my tone can become defensive, my voice can demonstrate anger, frustration, annoyance and more. How deeply can I turn a heart away from me - or worse, from the Lord - all because of my words. How much more could I use my words to turn a heart toward the love of Christ? If only my words were speaking the life and love that He has shown me...

"Words from our lips as the arms of compassion..."

Words can be weapons. Words can also be a healing balm. Are my words expressing the embrace of compassion, understanding, sympathizing, loving, enduring, healing? Am I offering words of hope? Words of affirmation? I rely on these words to motivate and sustain me. I know how how damaging a crushing word can be. I know the wounds inflicted by harsh, hateful, angry words. I know the direct opposite effect of words that have spoken directly to my wounded heart and, in time, offered healing. I know how broken I was from words that struck me down and left me bleeding and hopeless. I know how uplifted I feel from the sincerity of words spoken in love.

"Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted;
Watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope, You speak love, You speak life."

This is true of me - at least for what has been done for me. Words that took a beaten up, broken down soul and brought the hope of a future. Words that found a decaying carcus and breathed new life. 

It's a song that has spoken to me - a message that has now become a challenge. It's the challenge now placed before me. The discipline of thinking before I speak, choosing my words carefully, deciding what I will say and how it will impact another.  It's going to take some time, effort and retraining. I too often blurt out words without thinking of their impact. But I don't want my words to destroy. I want my life, my words, to speak life, hope and love into another.

What are your words saying?