“Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.” Proverbs 16:24 NLT

The words that we speak have a profound impact on the hearer. Our words literally hold the power of life and death. What we say to others and to ourselves creates eternal ripples with consequences that we will have to answer for. How we use our words will come back to us, as is said in Proverbs 18:21 NLT “… those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

Some of the words I read and hear on social media are heartbreaking. The way certain groups of people are spoken about, the names they are called, and the things assumed about them are deeply disturbing. Those words and names are not from God, but directly from the father of lies, the enemy of our souls. God created these exact humans in His image and called them masterpiece and beautiful. His breath was breathed into their lungs exactly the way it was breathed into mine and into yours. How He must feel when mere humans in pride, fear, and arrogance speak hate, judgement, and terrible things about those He took time to create in His image.

Don’t we understand by now that God is not on one side of man- made political parties? Isn’t He so much more than that? He is King of Kings. He is the Prince of Peace. He is the Son of Righteousness. He is the beginning and the end. Vengeance in His. Isn’t it His job to convict of sin and bring forgiveness and healing? It isn’t my job and it isn’t yours. He said to take the log out of our own eyes.

It is holy, beautiful, and so healing to witness someone speaking kindness to another – spreading healing, love, acceptance, and acknowledging their existence as one so loved by God that He sent Jesus to die for them. One act of kindness, one kind word, one selfless decision to help another, stand up for another, and love another simply because Jesus told us to, sends ripples of hope, healing, and belief that there is still good here. I want to be on the side of good, of healing, of hope. I want to be on Jesus’ side.

Lord, help me put kindness at the forefront of how I act and speak. Help me to understand the full impact of the words I choose and how I treat those I cross paths with today by your divine plan. Forgive me for the times I wasn’t kind and my words wounded one that You deeply love. Holy Spirit, guard my mouth and fill me with Your words and actions so that I uplift and heal rather than divide and wound. Keep judgment from my heart and blanket me with peace as I walk with humanity today. Please let Your presence and love be the things I leave with those I come in contact with today and each day. Amen.