My Words: Reckless or Reconciling? Merciful or Malignant? Harming or Healing?
“The words of the wise are like goads, their collected sayings like firmly embedded nails–given by one shepherd.” – Ecclesiasties 12:11 NIV
- Jesus Christ is the Chief shepherd. His Words must be our “goads.”
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.” – Isaiah 1:18 ESV
- God is patiently reasonable and speaks as such with us, despite what our sins deserve.
“Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment.” – James 2:12-13 NIV
- Are my words merciful? How am I acting/speaking?
Making Every Effort With My Words
“Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” – Ephesians 4:3
This certainly applies to us as to be very careful with our words. Jesus promises that we will be judged by the careless ones we utter. When we speak sinfully, we must examine our hearts.
A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” – Matthew 12:35-37 NIV
What is in my heart is coming out of my mouth. Sarcasm, gloating, mocking, insulting, slander, bitterness, gossip…all of these can live in my heart. Am I radically making every effort with my words realizing that they could condemn me on the very Day of Judgment!?
My Words: Folly or Knowledge, Life or Death?
“The tongue of the wise adorns knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.” – Proverbs 15:2
Folly can take a myriad of forms. Being too jocular, being coarse or careless in my humor, gloating, bragging, making critical or demeaning comments, and speaking with bravado or without thinking, lacking tactfulness or discretion, and so on. Deriding someone is foolish. Deride means “to laugh at in scorn or contempt; scoff or jeer at; mock.”
“Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.” – Proverbs 11:12 NIV
“Whoever belittles his neighbor lacks sense, but a man of understanding remains silent.” – Proverbs 11:12 ESV
“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” – Proverbs 12:18 NIV
We can scar one another for life and even kill each other with our words.
“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” – Proverbs 18:21 NIV
My Words: Choice Silver & Whole Silver
Do my words demonstrate every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit? Do they help build the bonds of peace? How do I view my speech? Am I speaking (or posting/writing) with my own judgement and eternal judgment in mind like Jesus? What does what I say (or post/write) reveal about what is in my heart? Am I bragging, gloating, belittling, or deriding? What folly is in my heart, and have I sifted my words with the standards of the scriptures?
“The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value.” – Proverbs 10:20 NIV
Ephesians 4:29
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. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Will my words stir anger, cause “brawling (fighting/arguing)”, or encourage slander? Could my words be seen as malicious and do I have anger/malice/rage in my heart as I speak/type/post?
The Holy Spirit is grieving. I must be kind and compassionate, I must forgive, because I have been forgiven for so much. I must not “choke” my brother or sister demanding justice and that they “pay back” what they “owe” me.
My Words: Merciful Or Merciless?
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred silver coins. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded. … 33 Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ 34 In anger his master handed him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. 35 “This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” – Matthew 18:28, 33-35 NIV
It is not our place to judge or avenge. “For we know him who said, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” and again, “The Lord will judge his people.”” – Hebrews 10:30 NIV. “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Matthew 7:1-2 NIV
Ephesians 4:15
Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.
“Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” – 1 Peter 4:8 NIV
Does my speech/posting/writing reflect this? Would others say – more importantly, would God say – that my speech is full of both truth and love? I cannot mature the body of Christ with my words if I am immature in how I am using them!
My Words – Loving or…Not?
“We love because he first loved us. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.” – 1 John 4:19-21 NIV
“And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” – Colossians 3:17 NIV
Amen.
