Words have power!

Words have power, power to build up and to tear down, power of life and
death. There have been times in my life that I did not put thought into
what I was saying, and in just trying to get a laugh, someone got hurt. I
look to different scriptures and think, why did I not pray before I spoke?
Simple scripture prayer, *Ps 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; Keep
watch over the door of my lips [to keep me from speaking thoughtlessly].* I
have seen may different quotes that have a lot of truth in them. "Be care
careful what you say, you can say something hurtful in 10 seconds, but ten
years later, the wounds are still there". Also, "Be careful with your
words. Once they are said, they can only be forgiven, not forgotten". I
look to the warnings in scriptures as well, *Matt 12:36 But I tell you, on
the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every
careless or useless word they speak.* and think to myself, I need to be
careful, and yet I still speak at times without thinking. My heart before
God is simple, *Ps 19:14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my
heart Be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm,
immovable] rock and my Redeemer.* May we remember that our words have power
and may we use them wisely.

Douglas