OUR WORDS by Mrs. G. P. Thompson

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jun 12, 1900

OUR WORDS.

By Mrs. G. P. Thompson

MRS. G. P. THOMPSON.

(Perrys Mills, N. Y.)

How many of us are aware of the power for good or evil contained in our words? In the blessed Book we read that a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. Imagine the beauty of it. Apples of gold set in a silver picture! How pleasing! How rich! And could anyone portray a more delicate work of art than one wrought in colors of gold and silver? Think, then, of the value of a good word.

In Prov. 15 : 23 we read that “a man hath joy by the answer of his mouth; and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!” What unpleasant memories have come to us sometimes when, perhaps in an unguarded moment, we have let slip from our lips an unkind answer or a cross word to a loved one. Then we had no joy. The answer of our mouth was not given in pleasantness, and it had the effect to sadden the heart of our friend, and so cause us grief, not only because we had wounded his spirit, but we had brought condemnation upon ourselves thereby. “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. 12 : 37. Then how necessary that we keep our mouths as with a bridle.

Again: we read, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” James 1 : 26. Moreover, as he says in the third chapter, second verse, we have the mark of a perfect man. It becometh us who are striving to make the needful preparation to meet the Lord at his coming, and are seeking to attain unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, to take diligent heed to do all the commandments, if we would enter into life. Therefore let us come up “to the help of the Lord, to the help of the Lord against the mighty,” and watch and pray always that we enter not into temptation.