Proverbs 31:26- "...and kindness is the rule for everything she says. " (TLB)
Proverbs 31:26- "....and the teaching of kindness is ever her concern." (VOICE)
According to the dictionary, 'kind' is described as, "of a good or benevolent nature or disposition, as a person: mild, gentle."
'Benevolent' is described as "desiring to help others ; charitable."
The Proverbs 31 woman was kind-- that was the rule for every single word that she spoke. And when I read this verse, God hit me like a brick--- and that brick was full of conviction.
Have you ever heard that quote, "If the words you spoke appeared on your skin, would you still be beautiful?" --- Chances are, I wouldn't be by how I've spoken in the past.
Even if the person you are speaking about isn't around- gossip, bitterness, hurtful words will still hurt one thing: YOUR SOUL.
We cannot let bitterness proceed out of our mouths and expect sweet things to be in our heart. It doesn't work like that. I know I spoke a few days ago about James chapter 3, but I wanted to post these verses again. They are something we need to read every single morning-- and we need to pray and speak these verses out loud every single day.
James 3-- "...the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.... Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh." (KJV)
James 3-- "....no man has ever demonstrated the ability to tame his own tongue! It is a spring of restless evil, brimming with toxic poisons.... Ironically this same tongue can be both an instrument of blessing to our Lord and Father and a weapon that hurls curses upon others who are created in God’s own image. One mouth streams forth both blessings and curses. My brothers and sisters, this is not how it should be. Does a spring gush crystal clear freshwater and moments later spurt out bitter salt water? My brothers and sisters, does a fig tree produce olives? Is there a grapevine capable of growing figs? Can salt water give way to freshwater?"
We cannot have a good spirit, putting forth good things-- and have an angry spirit, spewing forth terrible words out of our mouths.
We have to learn to be kind.
In the book of James, we read the tongue is the hardest thing to tame, BUT through prayer we can do this! We must learn to be like the Proverbs 31 woman--- we must consistently think before we speak. (I promise, this blog is speaking right to me and my heart!) I am TERRIBLE at thinking before I speak. I mean, horrible. It is one of my worst qualities...
And something I am going to start working on.
I pray that God would guard my mouth against any negative speaking. I pray that He would guard my tongue from gossip or words of hatred and anger.
And I pray that He would let me have a kind, giving spirit.
Today-- can we all do one random act of kindness?
We can flood the world with one act of charity-- it can be holding the door for someone, smiling at someone, asking how someone's day is, paying for the for the food of some behind us...
God has called us to a life of KINDNESS... in words and in actions.
Let us be kind today.
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