A Fountain of LIfe My Words Can Bring

The fountain in my back yard bubbles and babbles a beautiful, peaceful sound all day long. I love the sound of flowing water. It is refreshing, calming and alive.

Over the past few days, I’ve been listening to the fountain and thinking of how the flow of the water out of the fountain is like the power of my words. The sound of the water bubbling out of the fountain is a very audible and visual reminder to me to watch my words, using them for good and not for harm.

Proverbs 10:11 says, “The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life.” I desire for my mouth to bubble out words of life. Encouraging words. Joyful words. Truthful words. I want my words to be humble, not boasting and self-serving, but gentle and kind. I want words that are refreshing, nourishing, peace bringing, and life-giving to flow out of my mouth. I want to have wise and discerning words. I do not want to choose words that are stagnant and putrid, like the water in a lifeless fountain, but words that are beneficial and beautiful to life.

Unfortunately, I am not always successful at this. Sometimes, especially in difficult circumstances or with difficult people, I find it hard to come up with something nice to say, and worse yet, I sometimes say things I shouldn’t. I fail with my family and friends. I desire to be one way, and yet, fall in to criticism and self-pity; things that muck up my words.

And then I realize that just like I have to flick the switch, allowing the electricity to flow through the circuits to the fountain in my back yard, energizing the motor that runs the pump for the water to flow, I must stay connected to the perfect source of power, the Lord Jesus. As I acknowledge His life giving power in my life and spend time with Him in His Word and prayer, then my mouth (and heart) can be a fountain of life. I have a choice. I can choose life-giving words.

Dear Lord, Help me to use lovely words, words that build up and do not destroy – worthy words. As I come in contact with my family, friends and those who you bring across my path, remind me to bubble and babble words that bring life. Help me to be the fountain of refreshment, by Your power, in a world that is dry and stagnant, in need of encouragement and hope. Amen.