I Choose Today to Speak Life

I’ve heard an analogy many times over the years—one I’ve repeated myself because it sticks with me so deeply:

A hummingbird and a vulture fly over the same desert. One searches for life, the other for death. Both find exactly what they’re looking for.

Isn’t that just like our words?

The way we speak—to ourselves and to others—has the power to bring life or to tear it down. What we search for in people and situations often reflects the posture of our own hearts. And what we speak into the lives around us can shape realities we may never fully see.

Some of the words spoken over me growing up were meant to kill. Not physically, but emotionally, spiritually. Words that tried to crush my self-worth, belittle my dreams, and silence my voice.

But God.

The more I’ve sat with Him in prayer, soaked in His Word, and allowed His truth to speak louder than the lies, the more those old words have lost their grip. God placed encouragers in my life—people who speak life, not just to me, but over me. They remind me who I am in Christ and, more importantly, who He is in me.

And you know what I’ve learned?

It doesn’t take any more effort to say something kind than it does to say something cruel. But the effects couldn’t be more different. Kindness builds. Bitterness breaks.

God’s Word is full of wisdom about the words we speak:

• Proverbs 18:21 – “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

• Proverbs 16:24 – “Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.”

• Proverbs 15:4 – “Gentle words are a tree of life; a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.”

• Ephesians 4:29 – “Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”

• James 3:9-10 – “With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings…Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.”

Our words are weighty, whether we realize it or not. Every day, we have the choice: will we be hummingbirds or vultures? Will we speak life or death?

Let’s choose to echo our Heavenly Father—to be reflections of His truth, love, and grace. Let’s speak life, even in a world that often speaks otherwise.

Today’s Step

Open your door to life-giving words. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you aware of what you’re speaking—especially in your self-talk. Then look for someone to intentionally encourage today. It doesn’t have to be long—just real.

A text. A prayer. A kind word that meets someone where they are.

Speak life. And watch how it multiplies.