Proverbs 16:24
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24
The Power of Words
You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar! This is true. Someone said that when you don’t have something nice to say it is advisable to keep quiet. Can you say that your words bring health and peace to the listener? The word pleasant means something beautiful and delightful. People may forget your face or even the shiny clothes you had on but they never forget how your words made them feel. We all remember the kindergarten teachers who spoke faith in us and those who professed that we would not amount to anything. When words are fitly spoken a person’s face glows, energy and vitality are restored to those who are cast down (Proverbs 16:23).
Honeycomb
Honey is a luxurious food created for man’s benefit. Whenever honey was mentioned in the bible, it carried the meaning of something sweet and precious. The promise of the land Canaan was that it was a land flowing with milk and honey. Even the manna tasted like wafers in honey (Exodus 16:13). It was fit to be one of the gifts given to a king. A honeycomb is the place where bees store their honey when they work gathering nectar from flowers. It was valued for its many healing properties.
It is an antiseptic for wounds and found to have a tremendous amount of antioxidants in it. People also chewed the honeycomb in order to treat various allergies. The pollen that collects on the bees’ legs has over 96 nutrients. A single serving can close many nutritional gaps in your diet. Today honey is also widely used to treat sore throats. In this same way, our words should be stored up in honeycombs so that once spoken they bring healing to the listener.
Healing
A story is told of a lady who went to a male hairdresser one evening. The lady had told the man that she was preparing for a big event and that is why she wanted to look fabulous. During the session, the man made a friendly conversation with her and his choice of words was very affirming, remarking on her beauty. When he finished she went on her way. And then a few days later the hairdresser received a letter from this woman. In the letter, she confessed that the big event she was preparing for was her funeral and spending an evening with him changed her mind. His words of kindness and affirmation brightened her world.
This is why gracious words are referred to as a honeycomb. When spoken they bring sweetness to the soul and healing to the bones. It is in the bones that blood supply is manufactured. Bones are therefore seen as the life force of the body. We must always do our best to speak many pleasant words at every opportunity we get. Always take time to notice and look for what is pleasant and then speak of it. There is indeed great power to the tongue (Proverbs 18:21). Choose well how you will use it today. Which fruit will you harvest from your tongue, life or death?
King James Version (KJV)
“Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”
New International Version (NIV)
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
New American Bible (NASB)
“Pleasant words are a honeycomb, Sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
“Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body.”
The Living Bible (TLB)
“Kind words are like honey—enjoyable and healthful.”
