A Wise Woman Speaks the Truth in Love

"She speaks with wisdom and faithful instruction is on her tongue." 

~Proverbs 31:26

Aren't we are always growing as women and how we speak to others? 

I cringe when I think about my younger days and how I know I needed to be more mature and careful in my speaking. I lacked discretion and spoke too freely about how I felt sometimes! 

But the Lord got a hold of me and started convicting me about areas that I needed to work on and He is still working on me today too in different areas. I am so grateful for that. 

"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, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness.

 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water."  ~James 3:5-12

I want to be even more diligent in this area as I speak God's truth to my children over all the various life issues that they are going through because I know that God can use it to speak profoundly in their lives. 

"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ..." ~Ephesians 4:15

I know I don't have many more years with them, several are already adults, and I want to take advantage of the time that I have left with them.  

As I thought more about it I want to be a woman that:

PRAYS BEFORE SHE SPEAKS

We need to get wisdom from God. He will direct and guide us so we need to take the time to pray and seek His face.

MAKES SURE HER WORDS ALIGN WITH SCRIPTURE

We need to be in the Word of God so that we can share it and make sure what we are sharing aligns with it. Not just speaking our "mind" or speaking from the flesh but giving wise counsel as we should.

SPEAKS IN LOVE

We are told to speak the truth in love- but we need to do it also with GRACE and MERCY putting others before ourselves.

SPEAKS WITH A SPIRIT OF HUMILITY

We need to talk to others with a spirit of humility and not be prideful because we are sinners just as they are. We need to practice self control and not act out in anger or self righteousness.

SHE SPEAKS TO BRING PEOPLE CLOSER TO CHRIST

We need to not let the focus be about ourselves (for example: always wanting to be right or winning an argument) but our ultimate goal needs to be to bring people closer to Christ. The Bible also exhorts us to be a peacemaker at all costs so if we are stirring up dissension, especially among believers, we are not doing His will.


SPEAKS SO THAT CHRIST IS GLORIFIED IN THE END

Can we look back and say that Christ was exalted through this conversation? If not, we need to ask for forgiveness to God and/or the one we offended. It takes humility to do that, but it is what He has called us to do.

Remember that no one is perfect--we have all sinned with our tongues one way or another in the past. Ask God for forgiveness and help to do better in this area. If we obey God He definitely bless us and help us along the way!

Here is a list of Bible verses for further study on this topic.

Dear Lord, please help us to be wise as we speak the truth to others. We need your help to do this your way and not our way. Thank you for forgiving us when we have failed and showing your grace to us. Help us to love others the way you have faithfully loved us. In Jesus' name we pray--Amen. 

What would you add to this list?

Please share in the comments below!