"Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them." - Ephesians 4:29 NLT

Have you ever had anyone say something so hurtful to you that years later when it comes to mind, your insides still feel raw?  I hope not, but if you have, you can appreciate the intent behind Ephes. 4:29.

Or has someone helped take the sting out of a painful situation by giving you a sweet word of kindness when you needed it?  I have, and I treasure those words and the people who spoke them.

I have discovered one consistent truth: what you say and how you say it can either improve a relationship or seriously damage it.  Putting it into practice consistently?  Still in process.

For the past week, I have been praying that God would help me to speak encouraging words to my family.  I have tried to look for things to praise our daughter for instead of things that she needs to do/improve/change.

I noticed she fed the dog without being reminded.  I complimented her on showing responsibility.  I saw that she made her bed on her own initiative - which is usually the case, but I don't usually comment.  So I told her that her bedroom looked neat.

I made an eyes-wide-open effort to look for the good and then I highlighted it.  {Of course, I made corrections when warranted.}

Did it make a difference in our relationship?  YES.

Will I continue (by God's grace) to look for the good and then praise it?  Definitely yes!

I have noticed that when I carve out time to let God pour His words of encouragement and love into me, then I can more easily do the same for others.  I need His perspective on myself and others to love well.

Have you let God tell you how much He delights in you just because You are His, and not because of what you do? 

Have you spoken an encouraging word to sweeten another's day? 

And if you blew it, the sweetest words that you can say are "I'm sorry."

Photo credit:findstuff22

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