Counsels on Lifestyle

Counsel #2 — Speak With Grace

Picture: Counsel #2 — Speak With Grace CLi 118.1

Your words hold immense power. Every sentence you speak should aim to leave the listener feeling uplifted and strengthened. Think of Jesus' teachings — they instilled hope, ignited faith, and sparked courage in His followers. While there were times for correction, His message was ultimately one of empowerment. The good news is, God is right beside you on this journey of improving your communication. If bad language has become a habit, don't hesitate to seek His help. He offers not only forgiveness for past mistakes, but also the strength to speak with kindness and purpose going forward. After all, the Bible tells us that grace flowed from Christ's lips, and that we too can learn to speak with graciousness, offering messages that uplift and inspire.^[111] CLi 118.2

“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.” Ephesians 4:29 NLT CLi 118.3

“The Scripture says of Christ that grace was poured into His lips, that He might ‘know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary.’ And the Lord bids us, ‘Let your speech be always with grace,’ ‘that it may minister grace unto the hearers.’ Ellen White in Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 336 CLi 118.4

Reflect: What does grace-filled speech look like? (Give an example.) CLi 118.5