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

            I like the taste of honey, especially on a nice warm, fresh-out-of-the-oven biscuit.  My wife likes to put a dab of honey in her tea.  Honey has many good properties which are good for you, but the first impression is usually that it is sweet.  According to the writer of Proverbs, our words should taste the same to those around us – sweet and pleasant.  Consider the past two weeks, or perhaps the past six months.  Have our words always been upbuilding and encouraging?  What about our emails or text messages?  Or has our speech added more weight to the burden on someone’s shoulder? It’s often wise to stop often and take an inventory of our words and see if they are in line with the many instructions in Proverbs and elsewhere in Scripture.  Words matter and words have consequences.

            We should always keep in mind that the last words we speak to a friend, child, spouse, or neighbor may be the last words we have an opportunity to say before we view them (or they view us) in a casket.  Are the words always gracious…the kind of words we would like to be remembered by?  What about the time we were upset at someone and we went off track and vented our feelings?  Those kinds of words have a way of replaying themselves over and over in the other person’s mind.  What struggles do they cause for them?  Would we want those words spoken to us in that manner?

            In our everyday conversations we sometimes make teasing remarks to each other. Teasing can be a lot of fun, but let’s make sure they are always ‘gracious words,’ not hurtful, degrading or cutting.  Let’s always remember that we are fellow pilgrims on the journey of life.  Our speech should lift up those who may be struggling. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6