Ephesians 4:29 – Verse of the Day 5/15/14

People sometimes say that “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” The point is that we should not worry too much what people say about us, but the things people say actually do hurt sometimes. Can the hurt from words be worse than broken bones? If you had to pick one or the other, which would it be? Either way, it’s not a fun choice.

On the other side of the coin, words are very powerful tools for building others up. In the Bible, this is a very important theme. In the Old Testament, the Hebrew phrase often translated as “ten commandments” is literally “the ten words.” In the New Testament, John’s Gospel teaches us that Jesus is the “Word made Flesh.” Those are pretty powerful words.

Therefore, it shouldn’t be a surprise that this verse in Ephesians teaches us to use our words to encourage others. Spend some time in prayer thanking God for the gift of new life in Him. Consider how you can grow in the way you speak. Pray that when you speak you would honor Him and be an encouragement to others.