If you claim to be religious but don’t control your tongue, you are fooling yourself, and your religion is worthless. James 1:26 (NLT)
There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Prov. 12:18 (ESV)
Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Col. 4:6 (NIV)
The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45 (NIV)
Heavenly Father, these Scriptures expose the brokenness, tragedy, and evil of how our culture is weaponizing words to bring great harm—even destruction. As your children, you’ve called us to a radically different way of life and communication. Indeed, we don’t want to speak like those whose “rash words are like sword thrusts.” We want our words to bring healing, grace and life.
Since whatever fills our hearts will shape our words today, we want to marinate in the riches of the gospel, you’ve so freely given us. Fill our hearts so full of your mercy, grace, and kindness it’ll be difficult to shame, hurt, or gossip about anyone today.
So who are we, as your beloved children? With your everlasting love and tenderness, you drew us to yourself—even when we were ignoring you, or running from you. By your kindness you led us to repentance and with unbreakable cords of love you keep us. In union with Jesus, we’re as forgiven and righteous, desired and enjoyed, known and secure, as we’ll ever be. Praise your holy and generous name.
Nothing can separate us from your love, cause you to regret saving us, or put you in a bad mood towards us. Your love is the most dependable, unwavering, joy-producing reality in our lives. Nothing can alter your glorious, if-at-times-painful, plan for our lives.
All day long today, by the Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts, you’ll be telling us how much you love us and delight in us. From the overflow of such amazing grace, may we speak to others today. If our words are even 3% as kind as the gospel is awesome, you’ll be honored, and others will be encouraged. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ great and gracious name.