Each summer for the last thirty-seven years I’ve had the privilege of serving a week or two at a girls’ camp in Illinois. While fun, it is quite a bit of work. But God’s blessings overflow and for Him, I keep going back summer after summer.
A major component of our camping program is singing. We sing before and after every meal, at each campfire, and we often hear girls singing as they walk from cabin, to activity, to dining hall, to wherever. Our fun songs will make you laugh. Or maybe roll your eyes. But the campers love them.
One of the most annoying songs, especially for new campers, is Early in The Morning. It talks about a bird that wakes us up. The bird’s name is “Klina, Klina, Feegle, Fugle, Osta Peckinga, Beegle Bugle, eargo splitting loud and blooming bird.” Have you seen one? What amazes me is how quickly campers learn the name. (And, you sing it as fast as you can.)
Words. Silly words. Harsh words. Words that hurt. Words that heal. Words of truth. Words of deception.
A study on the Internet states that we use between 15,000 to 16,000 words each day! David had good reason to tell us, “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit” (Psalm 34:13). We must be constantly vigilant if we are saying that many words!
In Colossians 4:6, Paul tells us to “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
Words.
Silly words
I Thessalonians 2:5 “For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness.”
Harsh words
Psalm 64:2-3 “Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the throng of evildoers, who whet their tongues like swords, who aim bitter words like arrows.”
Words that hurt
Proverbs 12:18 “There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
Words that heal
Proverbs 16:24 “Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
Words of truth
I Timothy 4:6 “If you put these things before the brothers, you will be a good servant of Christ Jesus, being trained in the words of the faith and of the good doctrine that you have followed.”
Words of deception
Ephesians 5:6 “Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.”
What kind of words do you speak?
Consider your words.
Too often a pastor and wife hear the words “I support you in this” and yet, when the time comes, the support is not there. Be the kind of person who doesn’t need to say the words because your actions show your love and support.
Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”
