Using Words For Good

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

Psalm 19:14

How many words do you speak per day? Studies have been done to try to figure out how many words a person speaks in a day, but there are some big differences in their findings. One popular study reported that adult women speak as many as 30,000 words a day, while adult men speak only 7,000 words a day. Another study showed that both men and women speak about 16,000 words a day.

Those numbers would vary by a person’s personality and the type of job he or she has. A person with a job in teaching or customer service would use more words than a person who works alone. A naturally outgoing person would use more words than a shy person.

The same is true for you. There are lots of times during the day when you are quietly listening to a lesson being taught or doing your schoolwork. There are other times like lunch and recess when you might talk a lot if you’re a talkative person, or not so much if you’re shy or just like to listen more than talk. Either way, you probably use several thousand words a day.

Words alone have no power, but when you speak them, you give them power. The words you speak can hurt, or they can heal. They can build a person up or tear him or her down. They can pass on the good news of Jesus or spread vicious gossip. They can lie, or they can speak truth.

Imagine the difference your words can make. You can speak 10,000 words a day that are inspirational and encouraging or 10,000 words a day that are meaningless or even harmful. That makes a big difference. One way leaves those around you feeling good about themselves, encouraged to try again, or hopeful and happy. The other way leaves them feeling discouraged, angry, or disappointed.

Which way will you use your words today? Will what you say make someone’s life better? Will your words be a blessing to a teacher or a parent? Will they encourage a friend to try harder? Will they make someone’s day brighter?

In today’s verse the psalmist says, “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” Why not pray this same prayer each morning and every time you’re tempted to use your words in wrong ways? It will make a big difference in your life and in the lives of those you talk to.