Friday, September 05, 2008

God's Word On Words

Ephesians 4:29-32 29 Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. 32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

The Lord reminds me today that words mean things, choose them and use them carefully. If I am correct God tells us in Scripture to reign in our speech, tell the truth and put away gossip, slander and grumbling much more often than he has to tell us to put off murder and adultery. I find it interesting that God's frustration with the people of Israel during the Exodus seems to have been over their lack of faith and their grumbling. It was so bad God wanted to let them die and start over.

Today would be a good day for all of us to watch our speech. Take care in what you say and how you say it as you go to work, relate to your family and interact with your brother and sister Christ Followers at church. I am praying for God to cleanse my tongue today. How about you?