A few weeks ago, I read a devotion on the biblical story of Nabal and Abigail that is found in First Samuel.  The author made the point that the story teaches us how powerful our words can be.  Nabal and Abigail used the same 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet but in two very different ways.  Nabal’s words were cruel and brought destruction.  By contrast, Abigail’s words were encouraging and life-giving.  This is one of many examples that we have in Scripture about the power our speech has.  No wonder, God’s Word has so much to say on this topic!   Our words can build up or put down those to whom we are speaking.  Words can bless and encourage or do the opposite.  With our mouths, we can speak the truth or tell lies.  Proverbs 15:4 says, “Gentle words bring life and health; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”  So…we have 26 letters in our alphabet that we can choose to use for good or for evil.

One of the greatest ways that we use our voices for good is by telling others about God and His goodness to us. In Psalm 96, the psalmist writes, “Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day.  Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.”  With our mouths, our voices, our words, we can tell others about God’s great work in our lives.  We can share how He has blessed us in the past and what He is doing in the present.  We can also share the hope that we have in Christ.  In 1 Peter 3:15, Peter tells the church, “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”  

Brothers and Sisters, let’s commit to using our voices to share with others the good news of Jesus!

• June 5, 2025