Hurt or Heal

DEVOTION
PROVERBS
HURT OR HEAL
Prov 12:6
6 The words of the wicked lie in wait for blood,
but the speech of the upright rescues them.
NIV
A lot has been said about words, especially those which are spoken, although I suppose even the written word can be lethal or restoring as well. Surely the written word of God has an overwhelming restoration to the spirit of man. But I have to consider this to be those words which come forth from my mouth verses those words which gush from the mouth of those who are wicked. I would think when the chief priests sent spies to question Jesus, those spies pretending to be nice, but were looking for a way to get him killed might well serve as an example of lying in wait for blood. I am not sure how that looks in today’s cultural. Maybe it simply is the fact wicked men lie about whatever they need to in order to cause trouble for the righteous. Maybe this underhanded method by those wicked who are in powerful positions to remove any evidence of God from the public square is just one example. Surely they lie about the meaning of the Constitution. Surely they are lying in wait to find some way to disprove God, and thus the righteous, and all for their own personal gain. But I cannot imagine any believer ever saying anything which would be damaging to another person. Oh sure, I have inadvertently said things I should not have which might have been hurtful to someone. I also have had things said to me which are somewhat hurtful as well, but I think that is humanity at its finest. I do not think I or others intentionally say those things. I think for the most part we all are looking for words which encourage each other, build each other up and have a healing affect. At least that is the goal, it may not always work, I have to believe that is the goal of every believer. I do not believe I or any other believer looks for ways to be hurtful, or damaging with our words. I think a choice has to be made; do the words I use hurt or heal?