The Words We Speak

We're going to talk about the words that we speak. So often we get upset, or we get stressed out or anxious. And we say things that we don't mean. And we want to say Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean that. But here's the thing. Words, once they're said, cannot be taken back. When I was a teenager, I heard someone give the example that words that you speak are like toothpaste that you squeeze out of the tube. In fact, they had us do this, this experiment or this activity, this activity where we all had a tube of toothpaste it was in church youth group, and we squoze that tape is squoze a word we we squeezed that toothpaste out of the tube onto a plate, all of it, flatten that tube right out. And then the next thing that we were asked to do was to put that toothpaste back into the tube. And as you can imagine, not a one of us were able to put that toothpaste back into the tube absolutely impossible. It wasn't going back in. And the teacher that was teaching us that day said that is what your words are like, once you speak them. You can't put them back in your mouth and swallow them down.

Once they're spoken, they're spoken. And when sometimes when we're angry or upset or anxious or stressed out, we just we say things. And yeah, I think we really didn't mean them, but they're out there. And the person who got struck with your words, has these bullet wounds that that apology is like we put a bandaid on it. You can't put a band aid on a bullet wound doesn't happen. It doesn't heal. Those words are arrows. So what if we really were careful about how we chose to use our words? What if we spoke words that were only true, and kind and empowering and necessary? True and kind, empowering unnecessary? What if we really thought about every word and before we spoke it, we waited against those standards and those values? Are these words true? Are these words kind? Are these words empowering? Are these words necessary? I've got to take a guess that if we really weighed our words against those standards, that there are a lot of words that we probably would never speak.

Because saying something when you're angry, and then trying to say, oh, gee, I'm sorry, I didn't really mean that is like putting a band aid on a bullet wound, it's not going to stop the bleeding. But if we stopped and took a step back and really thought, are these words true? Are they kind? Are they empowering? Are they necessary? maybe just maybe, they would never leave our mouth in the first place. And we would never get stuck groveling for that, for that. Forgiveness that that person we said those words too may not be willing to offer to us right now. Apparently, even my dog agrees This is real life podcast people. This is real life podcast, you're gonna hear things in the background. Sometimes it just what it is. She's speaking life into us right now. Are your words true? unkind, empowering, unnecessary.

Speak, life, speak life into everyone around you. If you're angry, and you don't trust the words that are going to come out of your mouth and walk away, if you are so stressed out that you think you think just spewing out all these words is going to help anything, it's not going to help anything. In fact, it's going to hurt a lot. A lot of people a lot of feelings. A lot of situations. Before you speak are your words True. True. 100% absolutely true. Are your words true? Are they kind? Are they kind? Are the words you're saying speaking life and edifying people? If they're not, don't speak them. Are they true? Are they kind? Are they empowering? are the words that you're saying to someone absolutely empowering them? And are they necessary? Are the words we're speaking necessary? When you're driving, and someone cuts you off in traffic, are your words true? kind, empowering. necessary? You don't know what's going on in their heads. I heard that taught from an amazing life coach as well. When someone cuts you off in traffic, you don't know what's going on in their lives. Maybe they just got word that a loved one is in the hospital, and they're just trying to get there. So before you speak the words, even if they can hear them, are they true? Are they kind? Are they empowering? Are they necessary? Ever since I heard that example that this life coach gave to me. Anytime that someone speeds in front of me in traffic, or they or they cut in front of me to get to a green light before I do, I immediately stopped myself. And I pray for them. Because I don't know what's going on in their life. I mean, maybe they're just maybe they're just being rude. But that's not my problem. That's not my problem. And it's not yours either.

The words of somebody else are not your responsibility. Your words are your responsibility. As someone is spewing meanness on you, it doesn't mean you spew it back. Every word you speak and this is for me too. I am so far from perfect. But it is something I'm working on. Are they true? Are they kind? Are they empowering? Are they necessary? Don't get stuck trying to put a band aid on a bullet wound. Your words matter more than you realize your words matter.

So before we speak, let's weigh our words against the standard. Are they true? Are they kind are they empowering? Are they necessary? I love you. I am your biggest fan. Your journal prompt today. My words, speak life into others because my words speak life into others because you're amazing. You're valuable. You are already enough and you are never too much. Keep speaking your truth. keep spreading your light, you matter. And I love you.