“Words are free. It’s how you use them, that may cost you.”
(KUSHANDWISDOM via Pinterest.com )

There are many ways we use our words each day. In a recent study, researchers found
that on average, women speak 16,215 words per day and men speak 15,669 words per day. Some
people use very few words and some people seem to never stop talking, even to talking in their
sleep. By the time we are 1 year old, most of us are using words and our vocabulary only grows
from there.
Today, let us begin to look at how we spend our words. Most of us use at least some of
our words each day in a negative way. Gossiping, lying, backbiting, cursing, telling coarse jokes,
and complaining are all ways of spending our words. When we spend our words in these
fashions, the cost will often be far more than we ever imagined. We may lose family, friends,
spiritual brethren, credibility, the respect of others, and possibly even our own souls.
Jesus said, “I tell you on the day of judgement people will give account for every careless
word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be
condemned” (Matthew 12:36-37) ESV.
Paul exhorted, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good
for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29)
ESV.
How we use our words each day can have a great impact on our lives and the lives of
those around us. We can spend these words in a careless even destructive manner or we can use
them in a productive way, to build people up. Next week we will look at the positive side of
things and how we can use our words in a productive helpful way. ~B. Tolbert