One Word, Five Voices: Speak

Have you ever noticed how quickly you can diffuse a situation by speaking kindly? When you know someone is pissed at you, whether you've done something wrong or not, give the other person a little bit of grace and you can almost physically see the walls come down around them. It's kind of amazing. 

So many of us walk around with defenses up, ready to fight for ourselves at the first opportunity. That guy dinged your car at the grocery store? Speak love. That friend ignored a kindness you extended? Speak love. That bully was a jerk to your kid? Speak love.  

What would happen if we chose to speak kindness and love into the lives of those who have wronged us? What if those we've wronged chose to show us kindness instead of anger?

Though it's crazy, amazing

we can turn a heart with the words we say.

Mountains crumble with every syllable.

Hope can live or die . . .

So speak life, speak life

to the deadest, darkest night.

Speak life, speak life . . .

when the sun won't shine and you don't know why.

Look into the eyes of the brokenhearted,

watch them come alive as soon as you speak hope,

you speak love, you speak life.

Toby Mac, Speak Life

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 Check out what my friends think of today's word on their blogs: Shawn, Heather, Steph and Brian.