Ephesians 4:29, NIV: “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”
Ephesians 4:29, the Message: “Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.”
Ephesians 4:29,King James Version: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Jesus Calling:“APPROACH THIS DAY WITH AWARENESS OF WHO IS BOSS. As you make plans for the day, remember that it is I who orchestrate the events of your life. On days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of My sovereign Presence. On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me! I may be doing something important in your life, something quite different from what you expected. It is essential at such times to stay in communication with Me, accepting My way as better than yours. Don’t try to figure out what is happening. Simply trust Me and thank Me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good.”
BarbTalk: This morning I read Ephesians 4:29, in 3 translations, and Jesus Calling. All seem to point to: Watch your mouth!
I think about how stubborn I get when I am looking for something to be done, or something that I need to do, and things do not go my way. Grumbling and complaining isn’t the HALF of it!
Jesus spoke extensively to people about heart motivation. When I read the Sermon on the Mount (recorded in Matthew 5 – 7), I see He says, "You’ve heard it said… but I tell you…” He covers just about every human relationship and action. We can obey a bunch of rules, but then our minds and hearts can be dark concerning those rules and we speak with our teeth gritted, eyes slanted, and nose turned up in rebellion.
The phrase that really stood out today in Ephesians 4 was: “do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.” The Message phrase is this: “Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth.” And if Jesus, Himself, was the one giving the message to us He probably would add and don’t let it enter your mind and heart either.
His words recorded in Matthew 12:34 (NIV): “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” I like the Message translation of this: “You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words.”
We have all seen how our words can hurt. Words said to a child, a loved one, a parent and a friend, all leave deep impressions; scars of pain or blessings of encouragement. I know I don’t set out each day saying to myself, I really want to ruin someone’s day today, or I hope that the damage I do with my mouth today lasts a lifetime. There may be some individuals that are so filled with pain that they may have that on their agenda. If it is, will they feel better after the fact, or just go deeper into depression? God only knows. God feels the pain that they feel. He knows what it is to be hurt, rejected, lied to and punished. He is well aware of the cruelty of the human race.
His words give us a command. Don’t do it. Don’t speak unless your motivation is reconciliation or edification. Our lives are best used by pointing others to goodness, not ‘correcting their wrongs’. Safely, our opinions can be left out of some situations. We have been given responsibility to, in kindness and compassion, bring others into truth, and the Bible says we are to do that with all humility and respect.
I know that each of us have been in a situation where our ‘good advice’ has backfired. We lose friends, we alienate loved ones, and destroy relationships with things we just have to say. I remember my friend saying once, I just gotta say, and immediately this thought raced through her head: no you don’t just gotta say anything! Hearing it was funny at the time, and it remains in my mind leading me to do what is uplifting rather than destructive.
When is the last time you saw someone who looked downtrodden somehow? Have you seen someone crying, looking sad or angry and only to run as fast as you can to get away? What is our responsibility anyway? To what we called as humans?
First, we need to be wise. Jesus recorded words in Matthew 10:16b: “be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” If someone seems to be completely out of control we are not called to go ‘fix’ it. Nor are we called to fix anyone. We are called to share what we know, again, with gentleness and respect.
I remember sitting in a restaurant one time and a man, obviously a pastor, shouted as he left the building: Remember JE-sus IS LO-ORD! I wanted to crawl under the table. No one was edified, no one was helped, everyone was irritated, and no one wanted to be like him. The question comes to mind: what is my heart and mind doing while he was pontificating? Was I judging him? Was I irritated? Did I even think of praying for him? Hmmmm.
So what do we do when unwholesome talk comes into our minds? Do we start having tea with it? Do we entertain it? Do we enjoy its presence and feel superior?
I remember when I first became a Christian, 4 letter words would float through my mind. I would say to Jesus, Did You hear that? Please take it away! I would continue to ask Him to take it away until it was gone. The same holds true if ‘judgment’ enters my mind. I ask Him to take it away. I don’t want to dwell on it or nurse it or even chuckle about it. It has to go. Out of the heart the mouth speaks.
One time I was ironing some clothes and my husband came home. I was immediately furious with him for no reason. I tried to stand against my anger. I said firmly: anger, go away in Jesus Name! Well I just got angrier. Turns out, I can’t fight anger with anger. Duh! So what can I do? I can say, Lord, this anger (or depression or upset) is too big for me and it is taking over, please Lord, remove it. Then to trust Him and wait for His relief.
Sometimes I get angry and I have to say to the Lord: is this real or is it Memorex? He knows what I am asking. He knows that I am not sure if my anger is real and I should do something with it under His direction, or let it go. Most of the time, I let it go, and wait for a more appropriate time to address the problem, when my anger is gone and I can think straight.
My prayer today is: please clean up my heart and mind Lord! Please help me reflect your goodness, kindness and mercy today. Help me only use words that build people up, not tear them down. Help me show Your love to others, and somehow, some way, draw them to Yourself for complete healing.
That is such good news: He wants to bring us to completeness in Him. I am grateful.
Ephesians 4:29, the Message: “Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.”
Ephesians 4:29,King James Version: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Jesus Calling:“APPROACH THIS DAY WITH AWARENESS OF WHO IS BOSS. As you make plans for the day, remember that it is I who orchestrate the events of your life. On days when things go smoothly, according to your plans, you may be unaware of My sovereign Presence. On days when your plans are thwarted, be on the lookout for Me! I may be doing something important in your life, something quite different from what you expected. It is essential at such times to stay in communication with Me, accepting My way as better than yours. Don’t try to figure out what is happening. Simply trust Me and thank Me in advance for the good that will come out of it all. I know the plans I have for you, and they are good.”
BarbTalk: This morning I read Ephesians 4:29, in 3 translations, and Jesus Calling. All seem to point to: Watch your mouth!
I think about how stubborn I get when I am looking for something to be done, or something that I need to do, and things do not go my way. Grumbling and complaining isn’t the HALF of it!
Jesus spoke extensively to people about heart motivation. When I read the Sermon on the Mount (recorded in Matthew 5 – 7), I see He says, "You’ve heard it said… but I tell you…” He covers just about every human relationship and action. We can obey a bunch of rules, but then our minds and hearts can be dark concerning those rules and we speak with our teeth gritted, eyes slanted, and nose turned up in rebellion.
The phrase that really stood out today in Ephesians 4 was: “do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth.” The Message phrase is this: “Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth.” And if Jesus, Himself, was the one giving the message to us He probably would add and don’t let it enter your mind and heart either.
His words recorded in Matthew 12:34 (NIV): “You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” I like the Message translation of this: “You have minds like a snake pit! How do you suppose what you say is worth anything when you are so foul-minded? It’s your heart, not the dictionary, that gives meaning to your words.”
We have all seen how our words can hurt. Words said to a child, a loved one, a parent and a friend, all leave deep impressions; scars of pain or blessings of encouragement. I know I don’t set out each day saying to myself, I really want to ruin someone’s day today, or I hope that the damage I do with my mouth today lasts a lifetime. There may be some individuals that are so filled with pain that they may have that on their agenda. If it is, will they feel better after the fact, or just go deeper into depression? God only knows. God feels the pain that they feel. He knows what it is to be hurt, rejected, lied to and punished. He is well aware of the cruelty of the human race.
His words give us a command. Don’t do it. Don’t speak unless your motivation is reconciliation or edification. Our lives are best used by pointing others to goodness, not ‘correcting their wrongs’. Safely, our opinions can be left out of some situations. We have been given responsibility to, in kindness and compassion, bring others into truth, and the Bible says we are to do that with all humility and respect.
I know that each of us have been in a situation where our ‘good advice’ has backfired. We lose friends, we alienate loved ones, and destroy relationships with things we just have to say. I remember my friend saying once, I just gotta say, and immediately this thought raced through her head: no you don’t just gotta say anything! Hearing it was funny at the time, and it remains in my mind leading me to do what is uplifting rather than destructive.
When is the last time you saw someone who looked downtrodden somehow? Have you seen someone crying, looking sad or angry and only to run as fast as you can to get away? What is our responsibility anyway? To what we called as humans?
First, we need to be wise. Jesus recorded words in Matthew 10:16b: “be wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” If someone seems to be completely out of control we are not called to go ‘fix’ it. Nor are we called to fix anyone. We are called to share what we know, again, with gentleness and respect.
I remember sitting in a restaurant one time and a man, obviously a pastor, shouted as he left the building: Remember JE-sus IS LO-ORD! I wanted to crawl under the table. No one was edified, no one was helped, everyone was irritated, and no one wanted to be like him. The question comes to mind: what is my heart and mind doing while he was pontificating? Was I judging him? Was I irritated? Did I even think of praying for him? Hmmmm.
So what do we do when unwholesome talk comes into our minds? Do we start having tea with it? Do we entertain it? Do we enjoy its presence and feel superior?
I remember when I first became a Christian, 4 letter words would float through my mind. I would say to Jesus, Did You hear that? Please take it away! I would continue to ask Him to take it away until it was gone. The same holds true if ‘judgment’ enters my mind. I ask Him to take it away. I don’t want to dwell on it or nurse it or even chuckle about it. It has to go. Out of the heart the mouth speaks.
One time I was ironing some clothes and my husband came home. I was immediately furious with him for no reason. I tried to stand against my anger. I said firmly: anger, go away in Jesus Name! Well I just got angrier. Turns out, I can’t fight anger with anger. Duh! So what can I do? I can say, Lord, this anger (or depression or upset) is too big for me and it is taking over, please Lord, remove it. Then to trust Him and wait for His relief.
Sometimes I get angry and I have to say to the Lord: is this real or is it Memorex? He knows what I am asking. He knows that I am not sure if my anger is real and I should do something with it under His direction, or let it go. Most of the time, I let it go, and wait for a more appropriate time to address the problem, when my anger is gone and I can think straight.
My prayer today is: please clean up my heart and mind Lord! Please help me reflect your goodness, kindness and mercy today. Help me only use words that build people up, not tear them down. Help me show Your love to others, and somehow, some way, draw them to Yourself for complete healing.
That is such good news: He wants to bring us to completeness in Him. I am grateful.
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