Words. Do we wield words well? Do we speak approving, loving words? We may have heard a lie as a child and now we live it. What do I mean by that?
We heard someone say something like, “Oh, that’s no big deal,” when they were complemented or congratulated on a promotion by our parents or a friend. And we learned to reply the same way. Demeaning, not for someone else, for ourself. The words we wield are demeaning, not redeeming. They are deathly, not full of life and love.
Demean = cause a severe loss in the dignity of and respect for (someone or something), degrade, humiliate, shame, mortify, undignified, debase, lower, degrade, discredit, devalue
Redeem = compensate for the faults or bad aspects of (something), atone or make amends for (error or evil), gain or regain possession of (something) in exchange for payment, atone for, make amends, recover, retrieve, buy back
Psalm 49:15 But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.
Isaiah 44:22 I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.”
Isaiah 63:9 In all their distress he too was distressed, and the angel of his presence saved them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them; he lifted them up and carried them all the days of old.
Demean. To cause loss in dignity of or respect for…degrade, discredit.
Oh, you look beautiful today.
No way, look at this _____ whatever… Don’t you see what I see?
I see beautiful…
Heavenly Father, how often do I discredit and demean what others say? How often do I devalue what YOU say to me? Who You say I am?
Take me to Yourself, O Lord God Almighty, that I may hear you. And know that You have redeemed me. Yes, bought me back, paid an exorbitant price to recover me. Redeemed.
How glorious! For God has a plan for us that is good. He instructs us regarding the words we use.
24 Kind words are like honey—
sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.
Proverbs 16:24 (NLT)
And speak LIFE!
The tongue can bring death or life;
those who love to talk will reap the consequences.
Proverbs 18:21 (NLT)
Thank You, O Father, that you redeemed me and swept away all my offenses. Unworthy, yet forever grateful and willing.
Thank You, that we are Yours, Your sons and daughters, co-heirs in Christ, blessed, redeemed, renewed and beloved children of The Most High God. May we see ourselves thru Your lens, Lord, and hear Your sweet words about us. Each one of us.
In Jesus name I pray. Amen
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Such a timely reminder, as I’ve been stuck in a place of negativity and have caught myself more than once speaking lies over myself. Thank you for reminding me how powerful the tongue is.
I guess it’s a false sense of humility that makes us defect kind words. Thanks for reminding us why we shouldn’t!
Your words are so true and remind us of the power of our words. Death and life are in the power of the tongue! Proverbs 18:21
We can demean others through our careless words and we can demean God through our careless attitude to His words spoken to us. Lord, forgive me for not caring fully about the words You speak and the words I speak.
I have been taking more time to go back over things I write rather than assuming they are good and hitting publish. I know it sounds funny since it makes since to edit, but I have been there before so many times where God gives me a message and I hit publish and then happen to go back and see my tone isn’t right.
It is not just in what we say but how we say it. Thank you so much for your message today, Susan. This is one I have not mastered yet am glad I am getting better at with God’s help!
Susan, this is just what I needed to read today! There is so much power in our words to speak either life or death! I want to be a woman whose words speak life!
Thanks for the reminder, Susan! Sometimes, it’s more difficult to receive a compliment than it is to give one!
This completely resonates with me! What a great topic! Blessings to you!
God, help me to value Your words and the words You speak to me through others!
Susan, what a perfect reminder of the weightiness of our words! I appreciated your wisdom on the definitions of demean vs redeem.
Lord, let me be one who speaks life and love. And may I just as easily receive it.
Thank you for hosting the link up this morning!
-Rachel
I’m not always very good at accepting compliments. I tend to deflect them away, but I need to be more grateful. They’re meant as a gift. Thanks for sharing this encouragement, Susan.
Redeem or demean, people will so often get into the petty and try to pick you apart to prove that words don’t matter, but Jesus knows our hearts, He loved people even though He called them vipers, I see people calling good, bad and bad good and not in faith, God calls out the good but He will tell you what your doing wrong.
Words bring life or destruction. Oh be careful little mouth what you say.
I hope you have an amazing November!
Susan, I love the contrast you drew here: demeaning versus redeeming. How important to realize our comments of self-depreciation can demean someone’s thoughtful words not to mention our Lord. Great thoughts!
Oh, the power of words! If I could only put a bit in my mouth! Thank God for the power of forgiveness and his grace. I loved your perspective about demeaning the encouraging words others say to us too.
Blessings Susan!
I have wrapped my sharp tongue around many the harsh statement, and some of my biggest regrets in this following life are words said in anger. Thanks for reminding this lover of words that I need to edit my spoken words as carefully as I edit my written words.
Susan,
How true that words will either demean or redeem. Which will mine be? Proverbs really speaks to how much good (and bad) the tongue can do. I’ve also learned that sometimes fewer words are better. As it says in the KJV “Shutteth thy lips.”
Blessings,
Bev xx