Words That Nourish - The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional

The tongue of the righteous is choice silver,but the heart of the wicked is of little value.The lips of the righteous nourish many,but fools die for lack of judgment.

Proverbs 10:20-21 (NIV)

Ladies, never underestimate the power of the words that you speak. Words can be like precious silver used to add value everywhere you go and anytime you speak. Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the almost-right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.”

This should make us excited and at the same time sober. We all know we have been foolish, even destructive, at times with our words.

So David prayed, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14, NKJV). This is the key. For our words to be right, our hearts must be right. And so we can do what David did. We can ask the Lord himself to give us a sense of his presence and a desire to please and honor him at all times. This holds us accountable, but it also gives us a realization that he can give us his good, right, true, helpful words that bless others. He can give us insightful words for a complicated situation. He can give us a soft, peaceful word when there is tension in the air. He can give us words of encouragement for someone who is down and kind words for those who are in pain.

Make It Personal . . . Live It Out!

Words of comfort in a time of grief are nourishing, like water to a thirsty soul. The grief of loss comes in many forms. A painful divorce, a prodigal child, a failed business, even a moving away is a loss we grieve. The death of someone we love goes deepest. Please remember that when we’re in grief, we don’t need advice or quick-fix answers. Think of comfort as the combination of two words: come and fort. If you know someone who is grieving, will you go to that person? Just your personal presence and a kind look are a message of care. Then make your words like a fort: sheltering, supportive, and safe.

One Year Bible Reading

Leviticus 24:1–25:46; Mark 10:13-31; Psalm 44:9-26; Proverbs 10:20-21