Today I will:
Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone. Colossians 4:6 (NLT)
In his epistle to the Church, James likens the tongue-quite literally the words we speak-to two things: a bit in a horse's mouth and the rudder of a great ship. (See James 3:3-6.) His meaning is quite clear: The words we speak steer or direct our lives more definitely than any external circumstances. Though great winds can drive a ship, it is the till that sets the course; and though a horse is much stronger than a person, a tiny pull in one direction or the other on the reins is enough to make the great animal change course.
So, too, is wisdom often measured in words-or sometimes the lack of them. Proverbs 17:28 NKJV tells us, "Even a fool is counted wise when he holds his peace; when he shuts his lips, he is considered perceptive." Thus what we say, and when we say it, can be very important; and, more often than not, leaving things unsaid may be the wisest course of all.
As you go about your day today, listen to what comes out of your mouth. Are you speaking encouraging and uplifting words to others that are seasoned with the salt of God's love and truth? Or are the words you speak more to lift yourself up in the eyes of others and appease your ego? Perhaps your conversation is neither of these, but only frivolous chattering.
If the words we speak are capable of directing us towards our future goals-or more importantly, directing others towards Jesus-isn't it time we take a solid account of what we say and do to determine whether it is profitable or not?