I just recently found out my mother does not like honey. I mean who doesn’t like honey!? It’s sweet, yummy, healthy, and all natural. So let’s just say I was surprised. My dad on the other hand – he LOVES honey. I can remember as a kid my dad just eating spoonfuls when he was sick. Sometimes I wonder if he really did need THAT much honey. Anyway, regardless of how you feel about honey – we can all agree it’s sweet and healthy. It’s God’s version of sugar so obviously it’s perfect.
Solomon teaches us that gracious and kind words are like honey. They bring sweetness to our souls and the souls of others. They are healthy – for both the speaker and hearer.
We often speak before we think which is never ever a good thing. Our words are frequently cutting, empty, and thoughtless. Sometimes we actually think about the cruel things we say – we may have even planned or intended to say them. Other times, we say “truthful” things but they frequently don’t need to be said or if they do there is probably a better way to say it. And frankly, we often label our opinions as truth as an attempt to silence criticisms or pushback and justify our meanness. And other times when people do kind things for us, we aren’t genuinely thankful with our response. We may utter the words thank you but our tone or demeanor doesn’t illustrate graciousness. Sometimes, we may not even bother to say thank you. Finally, oftentimes when we talk – we talk all about us. We dominate the conversation or we bring everything back of us. Think about how often we use personal pronouns (I, me, my, mine) when we talk to others. Our talk is frequently centered on self.
When we speak like that – thoughtless, cruel, and self centered, our words are not pleasant. They are not sweet. And they for sure aren’t healthy.
Solomon tells us gracious and kind words are better than the alternatives. If you want sweetness in your life, you’re speech has to provide sweetness to others. If you want to have healthy conversations, then you should be a source of healthy talk for others. We can not give one thing and expect to receive something else. We are often known by how we talk.
Have you every wonder “man why does this person always bring their nonsense to my office space?” Why do they feel like they can talk like that around me? Well, maybe we should instead ask ourselves:
Am I known as the office gossip? Or the frequent complainer? Maybe I am the one every knows tells white lies. Perhaps I curse and tell inappropriate stories. After all, birds of a feather, flock together.
If you want sweetness and healthy talk, then you must engage in it yourself.
Is your talk honey? Or, is it vinegar?
Adonai's Appeal 