A challenge for the day

Words.

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.""I'm rubber you're glue, whatever you say bounces off of me and lands on you."

Wow, could we have ever been more wrong?
These are phrases of denial.
Phrases that we have all used (I would hope at a young age). Perhaps we just said these things to try and convince ourselves that someone else's words did not affect us.
But no matter how much we deny it, they do.
Words.
They do have an affect on us. A powerful affect.
There are two types of words. Life-giving words and life-taking words.
One type gives people breath, the other steals it from them.
One type encourages, the other discourages.
One builds up, the other rips the rug out from underneath their feet.
And each day we choose to use type A or type B.
Each situation or conversation the dilemma arises.

"Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." -Proverbs 16:24

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

-Ephesians 4:29

"The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life, but the mouth of the wicked conceals violence."

-Proverbs 10:11

"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds." 

-Hebrews 10:24

That is my challenge today, not just to you, but to me!
Today I will strive to let my words give life to all who hear them. That they may be encouraging, edifying, building up, and giving love and hope to others.
Are words of affirmation always necessary? Maybe not.
But are they always desired? Absolutely.
Let's be encouragers today, even if it is not asked for or expected.