Counsels on Self-Identity

Counsel #25 — Reflect in Speech

Picture: Counsel #25 — Reflect in Speech CI 27.1

What if someone could learn who God is just by listening to the way you speak? Would your words show His love, patience, and truth, or something else? The way we talk says a lot about who we belong to. Our words have power! That’s why it’s so important that our speech reflects both truth and grace.^[27] CI 27.2

Jesus was the perfect Example of this. He never sugarcoated the truth, but He always spoke it with love. When He corrected people, it wasn’t to shame them; it was to lead them toward healing and transformation. Think about how He spoke to the woman caught in adultery. He didn’t ignore her sin, but He didn’t condemn her either. Instead, He said, “Go and sin no more” - truth, spoken with compassion. That’s the kind of speech we’re called to reflect. It simply means being honest without being harsh. When we let the Holy Spirit guide our words, people won’t just hear us, but they’ll hear the kindness and clarity of Christ through us. CI 27.3

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” Ephesians 4:15 NIV CI 27.4

“You accustom yourself to speak in a certain way, and your thoughts and actions follow your words.” Ellen White in That I May Know Him, p. 137 CI 27.5

Reflect: When you correct someone, is it with kindness or criticism? CI 27.6