THINK TOGETHER.
Do you tend to speak gently or harshly?
READ TOGETHER
Proverbs 15:4. A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.
Hopefully you are starting to learn just how powerful your words are, and the words of others. Words can tear down or build up. Words can destroy or they can give life. They can hurt someone's feelings or they can make someone feel much better inside.
Solomon is telling his children to use gentle words. The word gentle here could also be the word healing. Did you know that words can bring healing? They sure can. They can make a person feel better on the inside and that can actually make them feel better all around. Do you use gentle words? Encouraging words? What do you think gentle words would sound like?
The opposite of gentle and healing words are perverse words. Twisted words. Words that increase a person's sadness. Insults. Blaming. Teasing. These words make a person feel bad inside and can even make them feel sick.
What kind of words does Jesus use with us? Does he use gentle words or perverse words? Does he call us names, or does he call us his friend? Does he make fun of us when we fail, or does he tell us that everything will be alright? Does he tell us how disappointed he is with us, or does he encourage us to keep trying?
Jesus is always gentle with us. He only says things to us that give life. We can do the same when we trust in him. When we listen to what Jesus is saying to us, we can say the same kind of things to others.
Because of Jesus God speaks gentle words to us.
With Jesus we can use gentle words with others.
DO SOMETHING TOGETHER
Practice using gentle words with each other. Make a list of words and phrases that would be considered gentle and those that would be "perverse." Write them on cards and take turns saying them to each other. Make a game of it. As the cards are read out loud have the kids decide if it is gentle or perverse (mean, twisted).
PRAY TOGETHER
Jesus, your words are always gentle to me. Help me to use gentle, life giving word with others too. Amen.
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