You’ve probably heard of the best selling book by Norman Vincent Peale called “The Power of Positive Thinking”. Originally published in 1952, more than 20 million copies have been sold in 41 languages! In his book, Mr. Peale helps people improve themselves and their situations by improving their thoughts, emphasizing the power of positive thinking. This leads me to ponder…If positive thinking is powerful for improving ourselves, imagine how the power of positive speaking can improve situations with others!
Does that mean we can only say positive things and not say anything negative? You know, like the old addage, “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all”. Not exactly. Sometimes, especially as parents, it’s necessary to say things that are negative for the purpose of instructing or correcting. However, when we do so, we’re not to speak in a criticising manner, but in a positive, uplifting way in hopes of helping the other person learn or improve. Speaking positively isn’t just about what we say, but also how we say it.
The Bible has much to say about the power of positive (and negative) speaking, and how to respond to others. Here are just a few verses:
Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. ~ Proverbs 12:18
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. ~ Proverbs 15:1
A cheerful heart is good medicine… ~ Proverbs 17:22
A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones. ~ Proverbs 15:30
Don’t repay evil for evil. Don’t retaliate when people say unkind things about you. Instead, pay them back with a blessing. That is what God wants you to do, and he will bless you for it. ~ 1 Peter 3:9
In closing, here’s a quote from a woman I greatly admire, Mother Teresa: “Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are endless.”
Let’s pray…Dear God, Help us to be good stewards of our words. Amen.
Good Morning and a Happy easter celebration
Comments
Post a Comment