A couple of years ago, I was wandering through Pinterest when I came across this picture that made me stop scrolling. It was a picture of a woman with words written all over her skin. A question was asked at the bottom of the picture: If your words were written on your skin, would you still be beautiful?

I knew at the time that I would not be beautiful. Even now, my words are not always pretty. I have struggled most of my life with my temper and, in my “fleshy” days, I often give in and say things that are much uglier than I intend.

What if our intentions were written on our skin as well? Would we be known as holy then or would we be known as selfish? Would our words then be pure or would people know we were different than the person we projected ourselves to be? What if our thoughts were written on our skin? Would we be kind? Or would the words we whisper over cups of coffee to our friends shame us in their ugliness?

Though our words, our intentions, and our thoughts are not written on our skins, they do get written on the hearts of those who listen. 1 Corinthians 15:33 puts it this way, “Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”

You see, our words have profound impact that we can see in the lives of those we spend time with. Spend time around someone who is positive and you’ll find, with a little time, that you start becoming a more positive person. Spend time around someone who criticizes constantly and you find yourself looking for things and people to criticize. Our words, our intentions, and our thoughts have long lasting effects on the hearts of others.

When we speak, do we consider the power in our tongues? James 3:3 -5 tells us, “Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!” James 1:26 tells us, “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.”

God thinks a woman who doesn’t control the words that come out of her mouth has vain faith in Him. Vain is worthless, without value, empty or without purpose. Who wants their faith to be of no value in God’s eyes? I would hope that every Christian woman would want her words to be worthy of His favor.

How are your words these days? Are you beautiful in God’s eyes? Because He can certainly see your words, thoughts, and intentions written all over you. What impact are you having on the people you’re called to love?

I challenge you to do one simple check: spend one day just counting how many times you use criticism. Any criticism. Even if it’s warranted, even if it’s asked for, even if it’s needful. When I did this a few years ago, it really surprised me to find out just how critical I was towards the people I love the most. It’s almost like we, as women, feel it is our calling to tell people how they could be doing [insert anything in here] better. But criticism isn’t beautiful, it is rarely kind, and it’s not really needed as much as we think it it would be.

I leave you with three questions after you’ve completed that challenge: how can your words be better today? What opportunities can you find to make your words have a beautiful effect on the people around you? What words of beauty can we write on our skin before God’s eyes? Let’s be beautiful, girls.