Hope in the Heartland
‘Me and my big mouth’
Pastor, Gracepoint Church
When someone says unkind and untrue things about you it hurts, doesn’t it? These types of comments are referred to as “cutting” remarks because they can inflict pain. God calls them “unwholesome” words because they are useless — literally, they are “rotten” words that display and contribute to decay — therefore, they should not be spoken. We are all capable of spewing rotten words, so we must carefully watch our mouths.
Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”
A person with an unruly tongue — demonstrated in hurtful speech — is showing that they have a rebellious and unstable spirit. These people either do not know or do not consider that their words have power to inflict damage to themselves, to others, and, if they are Christians, to the reputation of our Lord. Perhaps that is why the Bible has so much to say about the types of things we should and should not say and about how we should learn to control our tongues.
God expects us to stay away from giving expression to filthiness, silly talk, coarse jesting, slander, and abusive speech (Ephesians 5:4 and Colossians 3:8) because terrible damage can be done by our tongues (see James 3:1-12).
Write Ephesians 4:29 on a card and put it by your telephone. Better yet, memorize it and let it guide your words.