Words!   How many times have someone’s words come back to haunt or comfort you?  How many times have you said something without thinking, or in anger, or just off the cuff that hurt another, usually a loved one?  And how conscious are you to say a kind word or give a genuine compliment when you get the chance? 

   According to the narratives in the Gospels, Jesus spoke more, taught more, and preached more than He acted.  Of course we know the world cannot hold all the information, preaching, and actions He took while He walked among us, but we should pay close attention to what He said as His words have eternal worth.  He talked about and warned us concerning our thoughts and words above and beyond our actions. 

   Elder Phil introduced this sermon with the responsive reading James 3.  That chapter reminds the believer over and over to mind what comes out of one's mouth.  Words can heal or words can harm; they can uplift and help or they can damage and destroy. 

   This sermon reminds us to mind what we say, to hear more than talk, to think and consider before reacting, and to remember that what we say not only defines us, but impacts other.  Be careful, and