I know that I have talked on this topic before, and I know that most of us have heard this many times in our lives: the words we say are important. Just recently my church was talking on this topic, and it wasn't just for the high school students, but the whole church talked about this on the same day, showing us just how important this really is. Our words really do matter. Ephesians 4:29 says, "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." This verse talks directly about watching everything that we say and making sure that what say is building someone up, and not tearing them down. My pastor said something amazing when it comes to this. She said, "it takes the same amount of breath to build someone up, as it takes to tear someone down." That is so true. If you were to say "I hate you." it would take the same amount of breath to say "I love you." There are three words, and two words are same. All you do is change one word, and it can either build someone up or tear someone down.
Now my church laid out three questions that we should ask ourselves before we speak that come from this verse.
Question 1-Do the words I say build someone up? If your words are not going to encourage someone with your words based of their needs at that time.
Question 2-The right thing said at the wrong time is that wrong thing. Is what I'm saying right for the occasion? This one I struggle with the most. So often we think of something, or we feel a certain way and we want everyone to immediately know about it. But if we wait for the right time to say it, then you could be say the right thing.
Question 3-Does it give grace to benefit the listener? So we are focusing and giving grace to the listener through our words whether they are a believer or not.
We won't automatically change our behaviour overnight. I5t will take time to change our habits, but we should work on this for God's glory.
Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for giving us the ability to speak and communicate. I pray that you guide our words when we speak so that we may build each other up. Amen.
Now my church laid out three questions that we should ask ourselves before we speak that come from this verse.
Question 1-Do the words I say build someone up? If your words are not going to encourage someone with your words based of their needs at that time.
Question 2-The right thing said at the wrong time is that wrong thing. Is what I'm saying right for the occasion? This one I struggle with the most. So often we think of something, or we feel a certain way and we want everyone to immediately know about it. But if we wait for the right time to say it, then you could be say the right thing.
Question 3-Does it give grace to benefit the listener? So we are focusing and giving grace to the listener through our words whether they are a believer or not.
We won't automatically change our behaviour overnight. I5t will take time to change our habits, but we should work on this for God's glory.
Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for giving us the ability to speak and communicate. I pray that you guide our words when we speak so that we may build each other up. Amen.
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