How To Hold My Tongue: Part 5
OPENING PRAYER:
Heavenly Father, I come with a heart that I ask you to make willing to listen and apply your truths to my life. I come as a living sacrifice that I desire to be holy and pleasing to you this day. In Jesus name, Amen.
READ:
“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. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” Ephesians 4:29-32 (NIV)
“Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24 (NIV)
“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.” Proverbs 25:11 (NIV)
“May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.” Psalms 19:14 (NIV)
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Colossians 4:6 (NIV)
REFLECT:
Much of our devotions this week have been warnings about the tongue. We looked at how the tongue can reveal the evil and deceit in our hearts. Scripture spoke to how human efforts cannot control the tongue and that we need God’s help. We saw what great damage and hurt to others happens when the tongue is misused. In fact, there are many negative ways or warnings to consider regarding the tongue. This all comes from who we are when we are in sin or acting out of our sin nature. This is how we are in our old life, before Christ and without his power in our lives. In Ephesians 4:22-24, the apostle Paul talks about “putting off the old self” and “putting on the new self”. We see examples of this “put on” and “put off” described in verses 29-32 of the same chapter. Today, let us think about the “put on” instruction and how to let the positive messages take control. We are to say, “only what is helpful in building others up”. (Mom used to say, “if you can’t something nice, don’t say anything at all.”) We are to speak “according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen”, just like “apples of gold”. We are to speak kindness, compassion, and forgiveness in the measure that we have been forgiven. Our “gracious words” and “seasoned with grace” words are spoken even when undeserved by the hearer and often result in healing circumstances or relationships. Favorite verses of mine from Proverbs are 15:1a, “A gentle answer turns away wrath…” and 15:4a, “The soothing tongue is a tree of life…”. But work towards peace and away from conflict or escalation.
APPLY:
By now I trust that you have memorized and prayed “Help me to guard my words whenever I say something.” Psalms 141:3 CEV. This verse applies to both putting off the negative speech (do not let me say that) and putting on the positive words (help me to express more timely and beneficial words). For example, parents, teachers, leaders, and friends would all be well served to give ten positives for each single criticism. Try it. You might just find that you end up being “…quick to listen, slow to speak…” (James 1:19) and that is not a bad thing at all. Let us speak grace to people we encounter today….and let me be one of those people. I could use a good word or two. How about you?
CLOSING PRAYER:
Dear Father, you know where I struggle in my conversations with others. Help me in my areas of need. Help me to be quiet instead of expressing words that hurt. Help me to be sensitive to the needs of others around me that I might respond with words of grace that benefit those who hear. I ask this all in the powerful name of Jesus, Amen
WORSHIP: