Kind Words – A 2MefromHim Devotional

Posted by on Feb 5, 2018 | 6 comments

Kind Words – A 2MefromHim Devotional

Kind words can make the difference between destroying another person and giving them much needed encouragement. To phrase difficult conversations with compassion matters, to God and our fellow human beings. I would love to hear your comments.

 

 

2MefromHim Devotionals

Kind Words

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:29, 31, 32

Kind Words scripture

 

Kind words. How I longed for love and encouragement to soothe the ache left by the harsh attack I had experienced. I curled into a ball and cried.

Have you been there? So wounded all you can do is weep. So shaken you can’t even call for help. So broken all you can do is pray.

Merriam-Webster defines unwholesome as “detrimental to physical, mental, or moral well-being, unhealthy, corrupt, unsound, offensive to the senses, loathsome. The synonyms are noxious, sickly, and unhealthy. Does that sound like the way Christians should treat one another—the way people should treat others?

Harsh words remind me of politicians tearing each other down for professional gain, of rioters in the street, shouting hate slogans because someone believes differently than they do.

My father had the gift of expressing even the harshest punishment or criticism in a way that built up and encouraged. Such a gift is rare. For some, it seems the more cruel and brutal their attack, the more they feel empowered.

My husband once fired a man the day he returned from his honeymoon. The man shook his hand, thanked him, and recently applied for another position because he remembered the feeling of respect. Choosing kind words matters.

Powerful things, words. Spoken with kindness and respect, they can encourage, no matter how difficult the situation. Lacking love, they become, as 1 Corinthians 13 says, “a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal”, lacking in love and human kindness.

Kind Words

Paul says it well. Build each other up. Put an end to unwholesome talk. Say only what benefits those who listen. Kind words can create the opportunity to help someone heal, offer assistance, or lead them to Christ.

Proverbs 27:6 says, “Wounds from a friend can be trusted….” To attack anyone with hate in your voice and a glare in your eyes, to fail to approach them with genuine concern, and a sincere desire to build them up, destroys.

I never received an apology for the hurtful things said that day. The wound remains open and fresh, the relationship forever changed. I can forgive, but I don’t plan to place myself in a situation where the hurt can reoccur.

When difficult circumstances arrive, I want people to know me for speaking the truth in love, not anger. Let us strive to speak kind words and fail to return hurt for hurt.

© Copyright Norma Gail Thurston Holtman, February 2, 2018

Norma Gail’s debut contemporary Christian romance, Land of My Dreams, won the 2016 Bookvana Religious Fiction Award. A women’s Bible study leader for over 21 years, her devotionals and poetry have appeared at ChristianDevotions.us, the Stitches Thru Time blog, and in “The Secret Place.” She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers, Romance Writers of America, Historical Writers of America, and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Norma is a former RN who lives in the mountains of New Mexico with her husband of 41 years. They have two adult children. If you’re interested in connecting with her, you’re to follow her blog, or join her on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Goodreads, or Amazon.

6 Comments

  1. Thank you for this–it’s the right thing at the right time.

    • I am so glad it was helpful to you, Margaret! I really appreciate the encouragement of your comment. God bless!

  2. Thank you for your thoughtful and right on time devotional for the word today. Blessings to you, NormaGail

    • Thank you, Marilyn! You are such an encourager!

  3. The Body of Christ can be quite the mess at times. So sorry you were hurt deeply by the words of others, but thankful for the Lord’s healing grace upon your heart.

    • I’m learning one day at a time, back and forth. It’s a process, isn’t it.

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