Sweet to the Soul

"Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Proverbs 16:24 NASB

At my small group Bible study this week we discussed the impact of toxic words.  Toxic words are like a virus.  They start as a small comment, but after thought and attention are given to them, they fester and spread until the point where they can debilitate or even kill a person. In contrast, pleasant words are healing to the bones!  Positive words give life, turn away wrath, make knowledge acceptable, and they heal. 

I love the picture of pleasant words as honey.  According to the National Honey Board at http://www.honey.com, honey really does have medicinal purposes.  Honey is a natural energy source and can be used for safe carbohydrate loading.  Honey is a humectant, which means that it attracts and retains moisture.  This quality makes it very useful in beauty products.  Honey is also a natural throat soother.  It can be safely given to children before bedtime to soothe their throats and to prevent nighttime coughing.  (But it MUST NOT be given to a child less than 1 year old.)  Researchers have also discovered that the healing properties of honey may be useful in treating MRSA, cancer, and in dressing wounds.  See Harnessing Honey's Healing Power by Angie Knox at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/3787867.stm  

If pleasant words have this kind of healing power, let's start sharing pleasant words and wisdom with others!