Toothpaste On The Plate – Bryan Hutson

I recently read a story about a Mom and the advice she gave her middle school daughter. It so inspired me, that I want to share a portion in my devotion.

After helping her get things ready for school….”I gave her a tube of toothpaste and asked her to squirt it out onto a plate.  When she finished, I calmly asked her to put all the toothpaste back in the tube.  She began exclaiming things like “But I can’t!” and “It won’t be like it was before!”  I quietly waited for her to finish and then said the following:

“You will remember this plate of toothpaste for the rest of your life.  Your words have the power of life or death.  As you go into middle school, you are about to see just how much weight your words carry.  You are going to have the opportunity to use your words to hurt, demean, slander and wound others.  You are also going to have the opportunity to use your words to heal, encourage, inspire and love others.  You will occasionally make the wrong choice; I can think of three times this week I have used my own words carelessly and caused harm.  Just like this toothpaste, once the words leave your mouth, you can’t take them back.  Use your words carefully, Breonna.  When others are misusing their words, guard your words.  Make the choice every morning that life-giving words will come out of your mouth.  Decide tonight that you are going to be a life-giver in middle school.  Be known for your gentleness and compassion.  Use your life to give life to a world that so desperately needs it.  You will never, ever regret choosing kindness.”

Wow. Isn’t this the truth? There is power in our words and those words can hurt or heal. Compliment or criticize.

Proverbs 18:21 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”

Yes, just like the example of trying to put the toothpaste back in the tube, it’s impossible to “take back” our words. Yes, even when we apologize, the pain is still there and it’ll never be the same. The damage is already done.

Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

Are we allowing God to speak through us?

Are we offering ourselves to Him so that He may reveal Himself to someone who needs Him?

Prayer starter: “Heavenly Father, speak through me. Use me to speak Your truth to someone today. May my words be filled with grace, love and Your forgiveness. In Jesus name, Amen.”