The apostle Paul created lists in his letters. He listed the spiritual gifts (Romans 12:6-8; 1 Corinthians 12:7-10), the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), the acts of the sinful nature (Galatians 5:19-21), and others. But he never ordered his lists in terms of importance—except in one instance. In 1 Corinthians 13:13, he listed the three most important virtues in the Christian life: faith, hope, and love. And of these three, he said love is the greatest.

Nowhere is love more important than in the words we speak to others. The Bible speaks clearly about the power of speech. Proverbs 18:21 says that our words have the power of life and death. The apostle James warned his readers about the power of speech and how easy it is to be double-minded when it comes to our words: “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10). If love is the greatest virtue, surely our words should be spoken with love at all times.

Look for ways today to speak words that reflect God’s love, words that convey grace to others.

Our words reveal our thoughts.
William Arthur Ward