What Say You?

When you talk, you should always be kind and pleasant so you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should.

Colossians 4:6 

 

Don Rickles was an Insult Comic who made his living with his sharp tongue and sharper words.  There are many of us (yes, I admit it) who have a sharp tongue and wield it with the proficiency of a fencing champion.  Why do we value a sharp tongue instead of a kind word?

 

Proverbs 15:1 reminds us, "A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles fury."  A GENTLE response!  No sharp words. No sarcastic retort. Gentle....Kind....Gracious.  If we follow the teachings of Jesus, we should use the same speech we want to hear.  It's time to be gracious!

Words Words and More Words

Words kill, words give life;
    they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

Proverbs 18:21 

 

Consider the words we use in communicating with each other......are they helpful or hurtful?  Are they healing or killing?  Are they kind or hateful?  We choose our words from the words we have learned throughout our lives....choose wisely.

What's That You Say?

Let everything you say be good

and helpful, so that your words

will be an encouragement

to those who hear them.

Ephesians 4:29

We talk too much about meaningless stuff, don't we?  And we get upset about pointless issues?  Our brains are so full of useless information that it's amazing that we can think at all anymore.

What is the longest word that, when written forward or backward, remains the same?  REDIVIDER

What is the only bird that can fly backwards? HUMMINGBIRD

You see your nose all the time, but your brain chooses to ignore it.

We like games like Trivial Pursuit and other games that contain pointless information.  Let me ask you something, when was the last time you sat down with a friend or a family member and had a deep and encouraging conversation?  When was the last time you took the time to genuinely encourage others?  

Deep discussions tend to make us uncomfortable.  It's rather like having your boss come to your office to "discuss a few things."  But they don't have to be uncomfortable.  Being honest and encouraging doesn't have to be a difficult conversation.  It only takes being brave enough to be honest...with yourself, with the person you are talking with, and with God.  Prayer is also a deep conversation with God, which is why so many don't want to pray.  We like being superficial and insincere.  But God knows us!  He knows everything about us!  Why try to hide from Him that which He already knows?  Take time this week and have a deep conversation!  

THINK BEFORE TALKING!!!

Think before you speak,
    and be careful about what you say to God.
God is in heaven,
    and you are on the earth,
    so say only a few words to God.
The saying is true: Bad dreams come from too much worrying,
    and too many words come from foolish people.

If you make a promise to God, don’t be slow to keep it. God is not happy with fools, so give God what you promised. It is better not to promise anything than to promise something and not do it. Don’t let your words cause you to sin, and don’t say to the priest at the Temple, “I didn’t mean what I promised.” If you do, God will become angry with your words and will destroy everything you have worked for. Many useless promises are like so many dreams; they mean nothing. You should respect God.

 Ecclesiastes 5:2-7

I like to observe people.  People are fascinating to me.  Especially those who have some quirks.  But one of the quirks I have noticed becoming more and more prevalent is talking without thinking.  Let's face it, people like to talk.  Let's also face the cold hard truth that people don't like to think.  Whatever is on their mind is coming out like a bull at a rodeo!

Sadly, many of those who speak without thinking seem to be pretty proud of that fact.  One person I recently spoke with boldly told me, "I'm straight up saying what is on my mind and if people don't like it that's THEIR problem, not mine!"  Hmmmmm.......so by that logic, I can destroy someone's reputation because I say whatever is on my mind....and that's okay?  I can ruin someone's marriage because I say whatever I am thinking....and that's not MY problem?

But what we say IS our problem!  Why?  Remember the very words of Christ recorded in Matthew 7:12: "Do to others what you want them to do to you. This is the meaning of the law of Moses and the teaching of the prophets."  If you don't want it said about you, then don't say it about anyone else!!!  How difficult is that?  

God created us with a brain.  That brain is more than just a way to keep our ears apart!  That brain is to be used to think about what we are saying or doing and how that will hurt or help others.   But we like to blame everyone else when we are the ones who caused the damage because we spoke without thinking.  

Speak truth!  Not the "truth" we want others to believe, but the clear truth before God!  If you were standing before God and He would render the verdict as to the truth of your words, would your words meet HIS standard?

And yet all it takes is THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!  

Ask yourself, is what I am about to release from my mouth:

•  Helpful?
• Encouraging?
• Uplifting?
• Truth?

If not, then is shouldn't be spoken.  Remember, if you don't want it said about you.....