I just picked up The Power of Words and the Wonder of God. (I believe it's a book that came out of a Desiring God Conference). The first chapter I'm reading is by one of my favorite authors Paul David Tripp. I could probably quote his whole chapter but I'll just leave you with a few:
"The book of Proverbs is, in ways, a treatise on talk. I would summarize it this way: words give life; words bring death-you choose. What does this mean? It means you have never spoken a neutral word in your life. Yours words have direction to them. If your words are moving in the life direction, they will be words of encouragement, hope, love, peace, unity, instruction, wisdom, and correction. But if your words are moving in a death direction, they will be words of anger, malice, slander, jealousy, gossip, division, contempt, racism, violence, judgement, and condemnation. Your words have direction to them. When you hear the word talk you ought to hear something that is high and holy and significant and important. May God help us to never look at talk as something that doesn't matter." (p24)
"...it is only when I love God above all else that I will love my neighbor as myself. It's only when God is the rightful place in my life that I will treat you with the love that I have received from him. Brothers and sisters, hear this: you don't fix the language problems, communication problems, and word problems horizontally; you fix them vertically." (p37)
"Word problems are heart problems." (p30)
(embolden & underline are my emphasis)
"The book of Proverbs is, in ways, a treatise on talk. I would summarize it this way: words give life; words bring death-you choose. What does this mean? It means you have never spoken a neutral word in your life. Yours words have direction to them. If your words are moving in the life direction, they will be words of encouragement, hope, love, peace, unity, instruction, wisdom, and correction. But if your words are moving in a death direction, they will be words of anger, malice, slander, jealousy, gossip, division, contempt, racism, violence, judgement, and condemnation. Your words have direction to them. When you hear the word talk you ought to hear something that is high and holy and significant and important. May God help us to never look at talk as something that doesn't matter." (p24)
"...it is only when I love God above all else that I will love my neighbor as myself. It's only when God is the rightful place in my life that I will treat you with the love that I have received from him. Brothers and sisters, hear this: you don't fix the language problems, communication problems, and word problems horizontally; you fix them vertically." (p37)
"Word problems are heart problems." (p30)
(embolden & underline are my emphasis)
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