“Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked.” Prov. 10:6

Sister Aloysius is the school principal who rules by fear and ruthless discipline in a movie called Doubt. She operates under the premise that it is more productive to focus on a child’s faults rather than his or her strengths and potential. She believes t he worst in people. Her speech results in cursing and violence rather than blessing and peace. Perhaps you have been around people who can’t seem to speak words of praise to others, especially their own children.

The apostle James warns of the dangers of the tongue as an instrument of destruction and cursing. But the tongue can also be a tremendous instrument of blessing and peace when we choose to make it such. The psalmist reminds us that the righteous, in fact, wear their words of blessing like a crown on their head. Everyone they touch is blessed. Life springs from their lips.

In a time when our children and grandchildren are confronted with the voices of wickedness and fear in so much of life, how comforting and empowering will be the voices of the righteous who lovingly speak blessing into their lives. Violence or blessing—which one does your life produce?

Perhaps it’s time to take stock of your life right now. Which flows most easily from your lips – praise or fault-finding? Are you a problem-seeker or a problem-solver? The Scriptures command us to “not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building other up according to their needs…” There is no doubt about it. There is power in the words we speak, whether praise or cursing. May your grandchildren call you blessed because you are the voice of blessing in their lives.