There is power in words.

We all enjoy gifts of various kinds.
For some of us getting an expensive gift is the best thing ever. For others it's the homemade gifts that get us excited.
But for me it's the words. The words of life do so much for me.
The loud ones that speak hard and direct. You know the ones that sound like this:
"You hurt me", "No, you are wrong and you can't do it", " You are so stupid", " What were you thinking?", "You should have known better".
Those are the words that I wish I could erase from my own vocabulary.
Then there are the quiet words, they come more like this...
A friendly smile. A door held open. A hug. That certain look that says, "Good job". I know those are not spoken words, but the unspoken word is just as powerful.
And then my favorite words of all. They are words of encouragement. These are the ones that I have been working on incorporating into my vocabulary on a more consistent base.
Making quick to tell the ones around me good job.
"Thank you for helping."
"You are so important to me."
"I know that wasn't easy, but it was the right thing to do. I am so proud of you."
Using those silly nicknames more often.
These words are the ones filled with kind and gentle tones say so much to those we love. They say so much to anyone that we come in contact with.
There is power in words and if we understand the weight in which they carry, we wouldn't be so quick to give away the ones that break down the very heart of a person. But just maybe we would consider giving away the ones that build up and fill up a person instead.

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body,but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire." (James3:5-6)