Your Words Matter
They had been married for almost 38 years. He was a strong, active man in his younger days, but age had taken a toll on his mortal frame. As he lay on his dying bed, his children and wife kneeled at his bedside. His name was Alexander Campbell. He is best known for his great mind and his knowledge of the Bible. But when he passed away, his wife Selina did not praise him for being a scholar or a powerful writer and preacher. When he breathed his last breath, she said, “Those precious lips never spoke an unkind word to me.”
What a remarkable and rare tribute. Most widows and widowers say if you have said something harsh and unfair to your mate, you need to apologize quickly. Do not wait. Do not let your spouse die without making things right. If you are too stubborn to say you are sorry now, that neglect will haunt you for years afterward.
But this applies to more than marriage. It applies to sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, and brothers and sisters. It also applies to brothers and sisters in Christ. If you have said something unjust, make it right and do it quickly (Matt. 5:23-25). Better still, catch those words before you say them.
You can help others more than you realize with a few good words. “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col. 4:6). One of the many marks of a virtuous woman is that “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness” (Prov. 31:26). The wise man wrote, “A soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger” (Prov. 15:1). “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad” (Prov. 12:25). Mark Twain said he could live two months on a good compliment. It only takes a few seconds to sow this good seed.
The wrong words do much harm. Harsh, sarcastic words cut like a knife. “There is one who speaks like the piercings of a sword, but the tongue of the wise promotes health” (Prov. 12:18). Cuts on the body hurt and heal, but cutting words can cause pain for a lifetime. The Bible also tells us to stay away from “clamor” (Col. 4:31). The idea is yelling in a quarrel. Too many marriages, families and churches are guilty. One of Campbell’s students, Moses Lard, said if we do not want people to speak harshly to us, we should remember this when we speak to others. In other words, follow the Golden Rule (Matt. 7:12). It is strange that those who are abrasive and caustic with others get their feelings hurt when someone is stern with them.
People will remember what you say and how you said it. Leave them good memories.
Kerry
West End church of Christ• September 20, 2026
Sermons Last Sunday
Morning—Faith to Go Forward