SWEET WORDS

Scott had always admired the relationship between Ken and Phyllis, his wife’s parents. So he asked them one day what made their marriage work. Ken replied, “You need to keep it sweet!”

A friend of mine concludes many of her notes to me and other friends with these words: “Remember to be good to each other.”

That’s great advice from both of them about being kind. The daily stresses of life can easily cause us to get irritable with our spouses or with others. We pick at the little annoyances or criticize minor habits. We blurt out harmful, unkind words without thinking.

The book of Proverbs gives us counsel about the words we use with others. It says, “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles” (21:23). And there are these warnings: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (18:21); and “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing” (12:18 niv). Ken’s advice about “keeping it sweet” reminds me of Proverbs 16:24, “Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.”

Lord, fill our hearts with words that will be a blessing to others today.

Kind hearts are the gardens; kind thoughts are the roots; kind words are the flowers; kind deeds are the fruits. (RBC)