Sweet Words with Great Power

Mama always said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”

Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.
– Proverbs 16:24 ESV

Give praise to a young child and watch him puff up like a pufferfish. Praise or encourage an adult too, and you’ll observe the same effect. Although, a pufferfish puffs up to more than double its size as a defense when a threat is detected, your encouraging words have a positive and powerful influence on others.

Think about how you feel when a stranger compliments you on your hair style, your smile or your efforts to exercise. By the way, good for you for taking the time to read this devotion.

Our words have the sweet power to puff up the deflated.

If what you say has such power over strangers, think what an amazing affect they have on your loved ones. Words of encouragement can fuel their engines for days to come.
Compliment your spouse for a job well done, instead of focusing on what didn’t get done.
When you see a younger sibling flourishing in his own pursuits, encourage him since he is probably trying to measure up to a big sister or brother.
Let a parent know specifically about what you’re grateful for.
Tell a co-worker how you appreciate the way she gets the job done.

The biggest challenge is to respond positively when accidents happen, like spilled milk. You can respond the way you’d want to be spoken to like, “That’s why we call it an accident, Izzy. Good job hopping up right away to get the paper towels.”

And there are times when actions can speak louder than words. A thumbs up and a smile to the young boy who offers his grandmother a chair goes a long way.

Today’s One Thing

Look for someone doing something right and say something nice.

Go Deeper

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