Devo Monday--Words Are Wonderful Things

I saw the following little poem in my email one day and saved it. I don't remember who sent it to me.  (Thank you, whoever you are!) I'm big on saving things; snippets of poems, quotations, web links, book titles, and so on. Now and then--miracles never cease--I even go back and look at what I've saved.

I'm glad I found this, again. 
It's a reminder we all tend to need from time to time, and written in sweet old-fashioned language. I found the full text of a book this poem appeared in, Morning Exercises For All the Year, (A Book for Teachers) from the Cornell University Archive Library on-line. It was sobering to see what was included in this book for public school teachers, which is so often absent, now: Morality! Biblical principles! Goodness and Righteousness! 

With election day looming before us, it reminds me how far our country has fallen. (Anyone else wish for the days when prayer was allowed in school? When teachers could openly share their Christian principles?)

Well--back to the poem I want to share:

Words Are Wonderful Things

Keep a watch on your words, my darling,  
For words are wonderful things;

They are sweet like the bee's fresh honey,
Like the bees they have terrible stings;

They can bless like the warm, glad sunshine,
And brighten a lonely life;

They can cut, in the strife of anger,
Like an open, two-edged knife.

Mrs. E. R. Miller

  Scripture reinforces the idea of the poem:

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.
(Proverbs 12:18)

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise.
(Proverbs 10:19) 

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
(Ephesians 4:9)

Did you find this little reminder useful? May we all keep our talk wholesome and helpful! 
Warmest Blessings,

Linore

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3 comments:

Arlene Knickerbocker said...

Interesting blog. By the way, the Hebrew word for bees is devorah, which also means words. The dual meaning is because they both have the ability to nourish with sweetness or sting.

Linore Rose Burkard, Novelist said...

How about that! Thanks for sharing that, Arlene. Fascinating.

chappydebbie said...

Good post. So true....words can build up or tear down.