Parenting Tips: The Power of Words!
With the New Year upon us, I have given a lot of thought to words. Words can be kind. Words can be hurtful. Words can build up another person or tear them down like a wrecking ball. Amazingly words can have an impact on the person speaking as well as the person receiving. They take on a life all their own and if spoken enough can become a person’s reality.
This is something that impacts every part of our lives. From how we see ourselves to how we see the world and others in it.
This is an important part of parenting as well. The words we speak to a child will impact that child for a long time. We can impart blessings or curses with our words. But this must start with how we speak to ourselves. If we can begin speaking life to ourselves we will have a better chance of speaking life to our children.
Parenting Tips: The Power of Words!
Here are 4 practical things we can all be doing to increase our awareness of what we are saying and to begin speaking life in all areas of our lives.
- Start each day with prayer.
Psalm 141:3 says, Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep watch over the door of my lips
In order to make a positive change in how we speak, we must first ask God to help us. This Psalm of King David is a cry for help. Not only should we be starting our day out with time with God but we should be asking Him to help us control what we say. I cry out to God regularly for help so that what I speak is life and not curses. Blessings or Curses? I chose blessings.
- What is in your heart
Matthew 15:18 Says, But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man.
The Bible has a lot to say about this topic especially when we look at what is in the heart of man being the foundation for what comes out of the mouth. If this is an area that you struggle with I want to encourage you to examine what is in your heart. If the words coming out of your mouth are negative it is important to realize the root of those words is in your heart. Fix the heart to fix the words.
- Watch those silent thoughts
Proverbs 23:7a says, For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.
So often we are not aware of what we are thinking. If we allow our minds to think about negative things that is what will come out of our mouths.
Philippians 4:8 says, Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things.
We need to guard our hearts and our minds that we dwell on things that are positive and uplifting that way what we speak will be a reflection of that.
- Choose to speak in a positive way.
Choice is a big word. Our lives are filled with choices. Choice is a powerful thing that can be used to lift others up or pull them down. At the end of any conversation about our words, we all get to choose what we say. We can influence our words based on the factors above but it really comes down to choice. Are you going to choose to speak life or to speak curses? That choice is up to you.
Choose wisely!
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