The Pilgrim Path---Proverbs 16: 23, 24

The heart of the wise makes his speech judicious and adds persuasiveness to his lips.

Gracious words are like the honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

GRACIOUS WORDS…

A gentleman taught me high school Sunday School who is hard to forget. His name was Mr. Thaxton. He owned an HVAC company. It was not large. He still crawled under buildings with the rest of his employees. He was a godly fellow. He sang with gusto and had a fine sense of humor. He thought God’s Word had the answer in “it” for every difficulty of life. He was a man you would be inclined to pay attention to. I recall him teaching through a series on the Christian and the Armor of God--- from Ephesians chapter 6. I had never heard this passage expounded well. It was what I needed to hear. He did something “after” Sunday School once---that I have never forgotten. I was probably around 14 years of age. He said something like this to me in a stairwell when nobody else was around:

You know, Jason, the LORD Jesus may well have made you to serve Him and His church in some way---you should think about that---and pray about that. Make yourself available to the LORD…

Why---no one had ever said anything like that to me in my life. Serve the LORD? I really had intentions of “going” in my own direction already. But that made an impression on me. Looking back, I just imagine that man prayed--- before he ever said that to me. Yet, those “gracious” words have produced a great deal of fruit. Maybe within 10 months, I picked up my first book by Charles Haddon Spurgeon. I figure within 15-16 months of that time, I received a very definite call to the ministry. Some “gracious” words were a part of it all. All that to say: consider the great power of words in lives of those you talk to every day. Think about “how” you may bless people by your words…

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD. Psalm 40: 3

THE TONGUE

“The boneless tongue, so small and weak,

Can crush and kill,” declares the Greek.

“The tongue destroys a greater horde,”

The Turk asserts, “than does the sword.”

A Persian prover wisely saith,

“A lengthy tongue---an early death.”

Or sometimes takes this form instead:

“Don’t let your tongue cut off your head.”

“The tongue can speak a word whose speed,”

The Chinese say, “outstrips the steed.”

While Arab sages this impart:

“The tongues great storehouse is the heart.”

From Hebrew hath this maxim sprung,

“Though feet should slip, ne’er let the tongue.”

The sacred writer crowns the whole,

“Who keeps his tongue doth keep his soul!”

Philip B. Strong

HYMN

Take thou our minds, dear LORD, we humbly pray;

Give us the mind of Christ each passing day;

Teach us to know the truth that sets us free;

Grant us in all our thoughts to honor thee.

William Hiram Foulkes, 1918

Grace and Peace in Jesus, the Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason