Power of Words!

Power of Words!

Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones. Proverbs 16:2 KJV

Context:

Welcome again to the book of one-liner wise words, with each sentence a full message on its own. Today's extract looks at the power of words, and why I need to watch not just what u say, but also how I say them. I take the cue from God, in whose image I was made, who himself created the heavens and the earth by words. If I am made in his likeness, with his creative power and force, I can create the right or wrong atmosphere with what I say. In a way, that is the admonition as well as warning in today's extract. 

Message and Response:

Why are my words compared to a honeycomb? A honeycomb with its hexagonal cells serve as storage vessels for honey, as well as homes to raise young bees. In that holds a truth, already established by the bible, that a man speaks out of the abundance of his heart. The honeycomb is the place where honey is stored, and where young bees, which will work on making honey in the future, are also raised. What is the condition of your heart? What are the materials you are spending time storing up for the present and future generations? I note it does not just say honey, as the product, but the honeycomb, as the place of storage, production and supply. The honeycomb does not exist for a single supply, but for an eternal supply, as long as there are bees to work. Is my life a constant supply of the right things, or am I a seasonal wonder, good for some times, and horrible the other times? Can God trust that my life will always produce in line with his investment of time, resources and gifts in me? 

Of course, the end product is also important. Honeycombs do not produce rice; there is an expected end of the effort and the time. What is the use of honey: it offers antibacterial activity; its high viscosity helps to provide a protective barrier to prevent infection; the antioxidants in it are linked to other effects on heart health. In essence, honey and its comb are edible and offer numerous health benefits, such as fighting infections, boosts liver function and serve as a sugar alternative for people with diabetes. However, please note the small warning at the end of the definition: the honeycomb is rich in sugars, so should be consumed with moderation. 

Can we begin to see the connection between the honey, its comb and words? Honey takes time to form; words should not be dispensed without thought. Honey is the end product of hard work and dedication, and bees are pretty protective of the comb and the baby bees. Am I careful of what my lips and life produce? Am I thoughtless and carefree about what I say and how I say it? Am I moderate in my outlook to life, as well as in my interactions with people around me? Am I given to several words, spoken without a care as to how they affect the hearers? Anther version of today's extract notes 'gracious words', which are words full of grace, spoken with grace and making an impact of grace. Even if the words hurt, because they need to address a wound, the end result is always that which reflects God's nature, which is grace. 

Just like honey, so are words. Honey is sweet to the soul, just as pleasant words bring sweetness to those who hear them. Ever seen the way the face lights up when it hears pleasant words? Ever seen the relief on the face of someone who has just had soothing balm of honey applied to a wound? And you note that the impact is first internal, before it impacts the external. It impacts the soul, and gives health to the bones. When there is peace internally, life on the outside is settled. Even when there is trouble on the outer, as long as the inner man is at peace, he can face the trouble with a settled heart. The opposite is also quite true: unless there is a completed work of grace inside me, I cannot produce that which sounds like grace. I cannot give that which I do not have, and I cannot force out of myself that which I have not spent time investing in myself. If I am squeezed, what will my life produce? His time of favour is here.