How many times have we uttered that command? And we've lost count how many times we've heard those words in our own ears, a call from another.
Those words can be couched in gentle, compelling whispers that warmly caress and sweetly beckon and draw us closer in an inspiring invitation.
Or they can be uttered in tones that are harsh, demanding, and punitive. That cause us to want to take off in the opposite direction. Quickly.
And the bottom line is this: It's often not what I say, but how I say it that matters. And that's why 'out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks' needs to be our guiding light {Luke 6:45}.
If my heart is filled with anger and fear, my words will be strident, obnoxious, callous ... and generate even more anger and fear.
If my heart is filled by the Holy Spirit, my words will spring forth from a place where there's love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self-control {Galatians 5}.
The angry and fear-filled heart needs a healing touch by the Wounded Healer. The love-ly heart needs to be nurtured each day, tenderly watered and fertilized and grown by the Master Creator.
Always, always, there is work to do there ...
Friday Morning.
A Word Presented.
300 Seconds.
Minimal Editing.
I'm there.
- illustration by czwerg -
"It's often not what I say, but how I say it that's matters." Beautiful reminder, Linda!
ReplyDeleteThe state of our hearts oozes out with every word we speak!
ReplyDeleteThanks for jumpstarting today's conversation, Eileen!
I needed this reminder, to check the condition of my heart.
ReplyDeleteOh yes, this is a moment by moment thing, Linda ...
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by!
Linda,
ReplyDeleteThanks for vising my page, and thanks so much for saying it so well..."it's often not what I say but how I say it that matters."
Blessings to you.
Peace and good.
;-}
ReplyDeleteLikewise!