“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” — Proverbs 16:24 NIV

The words that come out of our mouth mark us as a positive or a negative influence to others. Most people who we encounter in a typical day are starving for gracious words that will encourage them or positively influence them. If we could pull back an unseen veil, we would be saddened by so many who come from homes where they are unappreciated and even unrecognized. Too many people live lives absent of real conversations with others, let alone absent of gracious words.

The words that are gracious are ones that compliment and recognize another. They are kind and thoughtfully placed in the mundane interactions of the day. A greeting when passing by or a little more attention given in an otherwise redundant business exchange. Instead of allowing our tongue to thoughtlessly throw words around, let’s choose to be gracious in lifting others up with them.