Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Our Words
"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building other's up according to their needs, tha it may benefit those who listen" Ephesians 4:29. It was really cool when Hallie said we are reading Ephesians this week because i had planned on reading this book! I read chapter 4 today for my quiet time and this verse just jumped out at me. If i think back, i often grumble and complain, criticizing things that are my discomfort. That is not helpful for building others up or benefitting those who listen. So this verse really convicted me of how much negative words come out of my mouth. I am challenging myself and everyone to listen to yourself when you talk and see if what you are saying is benefiting others. If so, that's awesome! If not, let us work together to let only say words that are encouraging. Our words have far more impact on people than we know!
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I remember one time in English we kept on being really sarcastic with each other, and then one week my mom told the whole class that a ton of the kids were being hurt by the stuff we were saying! Nobody could believe it, but it turned out that the same people who were being sarcastically mean were doing it because they felt hurt! Even still I have a hard time with not joking in a way that could hurt, but it was really an eye-opener for me. Even though we weren't being crude or gross, it was tearing people down.
ReplyDeletei mess up with this all the time! but i never seem to notice that it might have hurt until after i say it. i'm gonna put some kind of reminder on myself that i will think about what i'm going to say. Like if its negative or unkind. Pray that i will learn to think before i speak!
ReplyDeleteI will definitely pray for you. And don't think that your alone. I struggle with the same thing.
ReplyDeleteIsn't this true! It is so easy to hurt people with our words. Here's a good tool for you, Emily (I borrowed it from a friend): NUKE-if it's not NECESSARY, UPLIFTING, KIND or ENCOURAGING, then don't say it!
ReplyDeleteGrace hits on a good point, too. Sometimes even if we're not cutting someone else down, we can be tearing them down just by, as she put it, "grumbling and complaining." Just by focusing on the negative, our words can tear people down, so I challenge all of us to let our words be focused on what is pure, right, noble, excellent, admirable or praiseworthy. (Sound familiar?) If we actually PRACTICE Phil. 4:8, we will see HUGE results in speaking words that build up and encourage.
like my little brother would say to you if it wasnt a word that was nice or encourageing, "dont say that, thats inholesome talk and thats bad talk" its funny to hear a 4 year old say that but he makes a good point. i say things all the time just playing around and giving people a hard time and half the time i dont even realize im actually hurting them.
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