There’s not much in this world I enjoy more than a good spoonful of honey on some yogurt. It’s nature’s perfect food—rich, sweet, and somehow still pure. It doesn’t spoil. It doesn’t rot. It never goes bad. In fact, honey has been found in ancient tombs—still good. That’s wild!
The Bible actually uses honey as a metaphor more than once, but one of my favorite verses is Proverbs 16:24:
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” (NIV)
Let that sit with you for a second. Sweet to the soul. Healing to the bones. That’s the power of a kind word.
Think back—has someone ever spoken something over your life that stuck with you? Maybe it was a parent who told you they were proud of you, a coach who believed in you, or a friend who reminded you that you’re not alone. Those words don’t disappear after they’re spoken. They settle deep into your soul. They fuel you on hard days. They come to mind when you need a reason to keep going.
That’s the gift of gracious words.
And let’s be honest—those words aren’t just nice. They’re healing. They’re good for your mental health. They restore your sense of worth. They breathe life when the world feels heavy. That’s what Scripture is getting at here.
But here’s the flip side. We can’t just sit around waiting to receive gracious words—we’ve got to give them too. If your words were a condiment, what would they be—honey or hot sauce? One soothes, the other stings. One brings comfort, the other can cause a firestorm.
Here’s the truth:
Our words are never neutral.
They either build someone up or break someone down. They either leave a sweet taste or a bitter aftershock.
And in a world that often rewards sarcasm, gossip, or the perfectly timed come-back, gracious speech is more than countercultural—it’s spiritual.
So here’s the challenge:
- Speak life today.
- Call out the gold in someone.
- Be intentional with your tone and your text messages.
- Encourage the coworker, the spouse, the child, the barista—whoever’s in front of you.
Don’t underestimate the impact your words can have on someone’s soul. What you say might just be the exact thing they needed to hear.