Showing posts with label the power of the tongue. Show all posts
Showing posts with label the power of the tongue. Show all posts
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Put A Lid On It
“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) So God, you mean I should only say things that are helpful, that build others up, and that benefit anyone within earshot? And that when I say sarcastic things at the expense of someone else or cut someone down that you don’t like that because they’re your children and you love them?
Friends, that is exactly what our Heavenly Father is saying. We live in a world that focuses on the negative. The news we watch on TV is almost always filled with stories about bad stuff. I don’t know about you, but that really affects my mind and heart. I find myself fretting over things just because someone told me something that might happen. It causes me to worry and steal trouble from tomorrow which totally overloads the troubles that today already has.
The truth is that most of us love a good story. We want to hear the good news. We like to hear kind things said about us. Why? Because it’s helpful, builds us up and benefits not only us, but also those around us.
Here’s a challenge for you: Try going one day without saying anything negative, rude, sarcastic or hurtful to anyone or about anyone. At the end of the day, evaluate everything. How you felt, how the people closest to you felt, and how things were different. If you found that the people around you were better off and that you were better off, consider living the rest of your life with an effort to be uplifting to those around you.
As the old adage goes…If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.
Scripture Of The Day: “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 (NIV)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
The Right To Remain Silent?
I witnessed some grievous gossip the other day. And I remained silent. The conversation troubled my spirit. But still I said nothing. Perhaps it was because I was in another room, and simply overheard the verbal beat down. Perhaps it was because it was two seasoned Christian women trashing a fellow believer, and I was shocked by such bad behavior.
It was character assassination in its foulest form. I remember feeling disgusted that both ladies took great delight in feasting on juicy hearsays that fed their flesh but poisoned their spirit. James penned it well when he said, “The tongue is an unruly evil and full of deadly poison.” (James 3:8)
But what should I have done? Did I have the right to remain silent? Perhaps. But in this case I also had the responsibility to speak up. If we are members of one body, that attack against a fellow Christian was also an attack against me. And if I am my brother’s keeper should I not seek to protect him? And if I love my “seasoned” sisters who were spreading gossip, should I not rebuke them in love?
Sometimes when fellow Christians behave badly we shy away from taking them to task. But our silence can be a tacit approval of their unkind conduct. In some instances, the power of a silent tongue can be just as harmful as a tongue that spews poisonous criticism.
Remember how the Apostle Peter’s silence enraged the Apostle Paul? Peter was accustomed to shooting the breeze and eating dinner with his newly converted Gentile friends in Antioch. Ordinarily, Jews would not be found dead eating with Gentiles. It was considered unclean. But these Gentiles were Christians. One day, Peter was eating with his gentile buddies when some Jews showed up. He quickly eased away from the table and separated himself. That spoke volumes.
The Apostle Paul saw Peter’s silent treatment as hypocritical and rebuked him publically. The drama plays out in Galatians 2:11-14.
Yes, we have the right to remain silent. But sometimes it’s the wrong thing to do. James 5:16 tells us to “Confess your sins one to another,” not disregard or cover them up. God expects us to keep each other accountable. When we speak out against a fellow Christian’s sin, it should be done in a spirit of love and wisdom. The purpose should be to bring repentance and to restore that person. In 2 Timothy 2:24-25, Paul gives us some practical instructions on how to use the powerful tongue of correction:
“And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth.”
I perhaps prayed quietly that day, as I heard the two ladies slander another saint. My right to remain silent was wrong on many levels. It kept me from protecting the absent victim. It also robbed me of the chance to challenge my “seasoned” sisters in love, and to help restore them to right-standing in the body of Christ. Silence isn’t always golden.
Scripture Of The Day: “And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness." - 2 Timothy 2:24-25 (ESV)
Monday, October 10, 2011
Watch Those Words
Self defeated. Broken. Disappointed. Hurt. Depressed. Feeling inadequate. When you find yourself experiencing these emotions, you probably are also speaking those emotions. Repeatedly saying things like: “I will never succeed at this.” “I can’t.” “I’m too tired or sad to push through this.” “I always lose and never win.” “Woe is me this, Woe is me that.” “I’m not good enough.”
And as long as you keep speaking those things into the atmosphere, your mind, body and spirit will remain in that state and your every move and response will be rooted in those negative thoughts. Through careless words you have set an atmosphere of failure. Yet you wonder why you are not succeeding.
If you continue to talk yourself out of every opportunity, promise and open door presented to you, then you will continue on a cycle of self destruction. You will always see the negative in every person, and circumstance. Even worse, you will attract others with the same mindset. And by surrounding yourself with people speaking death into their life as well, you will find yourself sinking deeper and deeper into a dark place.
But you have a choice. You can turn it all around simply by taming and re-training your tongue. Make a decision to speak life only and not death. Make a decision to find and accentuate the positive instead of the negative. Find scriptures for whatever your situation is and boldly stand on God’s words by making them part of your daily declarations. Some examples are as follows...
When you find yourself overwhelmed by the task/assignment before you, replace the “I can’t’” with “I can and I will.”
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
When you feel all alone and it seems everyone has turned their back on you and the enemy is attacking:
"For the Lord your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you." Deuteronomy 20:4
When your resources seem to be dried up:
"The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing." Psalm 34:10
When you are feeling under qualified:
"Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations." Jeremiah 1:5
When you are broken and bruised:
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5b
Things may not look good in your life. You may be experiencing what appears to be a major defeat. But don’t let it break your spirit and consume you. Speak life into that situation until you see a change. And make sure your inner circle consists of people that always focus on speaking life.
There is power in EVERY word that leaves your mouth – it’s up to you whether the words you choose will build or destroy.
Choose and speak life!
Scripture Of The Day: "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." - Matthew 12:37 (ESV)
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