Whoever Influences Your Heart, influences Your Words?
Throughout our lives, the people who influence us change.
As infants, we look to our parents or those who raise us. As we enter elementary and middle school, our circle of influence grows to include teachers, coaches, pastors, friends, and classmates. By high school, we are surrounded by even more voices from celebrities, musicians, peers, counselors, teachers, and sometimes even those who challenge us. As adults, our influencers continue to change. Spouses, children, friends, employers, and countless others help shape our thoughts, decisions, and perspectives.
But have you ever stopped to consider that the people who influence our lives also influence our hearts? And what fills our hearts often finds its way into our words.
This week, we have been reflecting on the importance of choosing our words wisely. Words that encourage rather than discourage. Words that heal rather than hurt. Words that reflect kindness, love, and grace.
But before we can choose the right words, we need to ask ourselves an even more important question.
Who are we allowing to influence our hearts?
So often, we look to another person for direction, reassurance, wisdom, or approval. We pick up the phone, send a text, or turn to the person standing beside us. And while God places wonderful people in our lives to encourage and guide us, how often do we forget to turn to Him first? I will be the first to admit that this has taken me a long time to understand. Even today, I struggle with remembering to seek God’s wisdom before seeking someone else’s opinion.
1 John 4:4 (NIV) reminds me:
“You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” If you have followed my writing, you know that J.O.Y. is my living reminder to put Jesus Over You (me).
But this verse reminds me of something even more beautiful. Jesus isn’t simply someone we look up to. Through our faith, His Spirit lives within us. He is not distant. He is present. He is with us in our struggles, our celebrations, our quiet moments, and our difficult decisions. He is our source of truth, our comfort, and our true North. And when we allow the Holy Spirit to guide our hearts, shouldn’t that guidance also be reflected in the words we speak?
Luke 6:45 (NIV) reminds me:
“For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”
I love how these two verses connect. If the Holy Spirit lives within us, and our words reveal what fills our hearts, then shouldn’t our conversations reflect His presence? That doesn’t mean we will always get it right. I certainly don’t. There are moments when frustration, impatience, pride, or disappointment influence my words before I have taken the time to pray or reflect.
And sometimes, I wonder whether I have allowed the wrong influences to shape my response.
Think about the people you turn to most often. Do they encourage you to speak with kindness and compassion? Do they help you see the good in others? Do your conversations leave you feeling encouraged, or do they sometimes fill your heart with frustration, judgment, or negativity?
The voices we listen to can become the voices we repeat.
And that is why choosing our influencers matters. The word influencer carries tremendous responsibility. When we allow someone to shape our decisions, beliefs, or sense of worth, we give that person a place of importance in our lives. But there is another beautiful part of this message.
We are influencers, too.
Our children, spouses, friends, neighbors, and even strangers are influenced by the words we choose. A gentle response can calm a difficult situation. A word of encouragement can restore someone’s confidence. A sincere compliment can bring JOY to an otherwise difficult day. And unfortunately, the opposite is also true. A careless word can discourage, divide, or wound someone long after the conversation has ended.
We don’t need thousands of followers or a social media platform to be an influencer. Sometimes the greatest influence happens in a single conversation. Choosing the right words begins long before we open our mouths.
It begins with what we allow into our hearts. When we make room for the Holy Spirit to guide our thoughts, shape our attitudes, and influence our decisions, we are better prepared to speak words of love, patience, encouragement, and truth.
God has allowed me to influence others, but first I must allow myself to be influenced by Him. This week, as we continue focusing on choosing our words wisely, I encourage you to ask yourself:
Who is influencing my heart?
Are my words reflecting the Holy Spirit living within me?
Am I using my influence to build others up or tear them down?
Today’s Prayer
Heavenly Father,
I am so grateful for all You do and for the ways You inspire my heart and the hearts of those around me. Your presence and Your words, written in red, guide us toward lives filled with happiness, JOY, love, grace, and peace. Lord, I pray that our words will be as sweet as honey, offering encouragement, kindness, and healing to those who hear them. Fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit so that what flows from our mouths reflects Your goodness and love. Help us to be mindful of the voices we listen to and the influence we have on others. May we always seek Your wisdom first and choose words that build others up rather than tear them down. Continue to guide our hearts, bring peace to our conversations, and remind us that our words have the power to share Your love with the world. Let Your Spirit fill our hearts so that Your love flows through our words.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Share Your Joy Today.
Follow Wendy on instagram @TheJoyMovement365
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