“Let no corrupting talk come out of
your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the
occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
- Eph. 4:29.
This verse is embedded into my heart as I continue to learn just how much weight my words hold.
This message is universal. It pertains to everybody.
All 7 billion of us, we have the ability to make or break one another.
How?
Through our words. The very things that come out of our mouths.
The things we scream at each other, the things we whisper to each other.
They have weight.
Does that scare you? You know, it kinda scares me.
But I think in some sense, it should.
There should be some healthy fear in knowing that the words we speak can resonate in someone’s mind for hours, days, and sometimes years.
Calling someone fat, ugly, or worthless.
Joke or not, your words matter.
James illustrates such a great picture.
“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” (Jas. 3:5)
A small spark is all it takes for a whole forest to come burning down.
A few words is all it takes for a human spirit to come crashing down.
“For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (Jas. 3:7-8) You may be asking, “James, why so harsh? My tongue is not evil.. and it’s most definitely not poison”. That was my first reaction as I read this too.
However, James is simply addressing a big problem not only in the context of the letter he was writing but in the context of TODAY as well.
Seldom do we realize what our tongues are capable of doing.
They really are like a restless evil.
So much poison can spew out of these tongues of ours.
“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (Jas. 3:9-10)And this.. this is just so humbling. And true.
We exclaim, “I love you, Father! I mean it!”
And with that same tongue, we say, “Shut up, seriously. Nobody likes you.”
My beautiful brothers and sisters.. as James says, this ought not to be so.
Eph. 4:29 has been a verse that has been screaming in my head since last summer.
If my words mean something, I’m going to make them count.
I’m going to encourage. I’m going to think about the people hearing my words.
I refuse to join in the crude jokes.
I vow to speak for the people who have been victimized by this restless evil.
Father, may my words be pleasing to You.
You’ve given me the privilege to speak, and I refuse to waste it.
Cleanse me from the inside, so that my words may parallel the nature of my sanctified heart.
Only through You, Lord. Only through You.
(Encouraging Words from Dan Hwang. It's truth!!)
- Eph. 4:29.
This verse is embedded into my heart as I continue to learn just how much weight my words hold.
This message is universal. It pertains to everybody.
All 7 billion of us, we have the ability to make or break one another.
How?
Through our words. The very things that come out of our mouths.
The things we scream at each other, the things we whisper to each other.
They have weight.
Does that scare you? You know, it kinda scares me.
But I think in some sense, it should.
There should be some healthy fear in knowing that the words we speak can resonate in someone’s mind for hours, days, and sometimes years.
Calling someone fat, ugly, or worthless.
Joke or not, your words matter.
James illustrates such a great picture.
“So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire!” (Jas. 3:5)
A small spark is all it takes for a whole forest to come burning down.
A few words is all it takes for a human spirit to come crashing down.
“For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” (Jas. 3:7-8) You may be asking, “James, why so harsh? My tongue is not evil.. and it’s most definitely not poison”. That was my first reaction as I read this too.
However, James is simply addressing a big problem not only in the context of the letter he was writing but in the context of TODAY as well.
Seldom do we realize what our tongues are capable of doing.
They really are like a restless evil.
So much poison can spew out of these tongues of ours.
“With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so.” (Jas. 3:9-10)And this.. this is just so humbling. And true.
We exclaim, “I love you, Father! I mean it!”
And with that same tongue, we say, “Shut up, seriously. Nobody likes you.”
My beautiful brothers and sisters.. as James says, this ought not to be so.
Eph. 4:29 has been a verse that has been screaming in my head since last summer.
If my words mean something, I’m going to make them count.
I’m going to encourage. I’m going to think about the people hearing my words.
I refuse to join in the crude jokes.
I vow to speak for the people who have been victimized by this restless evil.
Father, may my words be pleasing to You.
You’ve given me the privilege to speak, and I refuse to waste it.
Cleanse me from the inside, so that my words may parallel the nature of my sanctified heart.
Only through You, Lord. Only through You.
(Encouraging Words from Dan Hwang. It's truth!!)
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