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Ephesians 4.29 (NIV)
Do not let any unwholesome
talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up
according to their needs.
Ephesians 5.4 (NIV)
Nor should there be
obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which is out of place.
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| We must be careful of the words we speak . . . for they not only reveal the inner man, but they help to make him what he is.* |
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Over
the years I am afraid that I have become so much a part of the world that very
little sets me apart from it, including what amuses me. Inappropriate talk; being the most amusing at
the expense of others – these have often been part of my repertoire.
Humor
itself is not a sin. God has a sense of humor; laughter is one of his finest
gifts. But our wit should not be used to tear someone else down. As Paul warns
us here, our words can be downright nasty.
Think of how your breath smells after vomiting. That’s what it’s like
when unwholesome talk comes out of our mouths.
As
usual, Paul doesn’t just tell us what not
to do; he tells what to do instead. We
should – we must – use our words to
build others up – according to their needs. How can we do this if we are not
aware of their needs? Paul is demanding more of us than just to watch our
language. He expects us to say the right things in the right way to the right
person.
May
the Lord guard what we say and block our ill-chosen words before they have made
it out of the gate.
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| Words may be neither false, nor violent, nor defamatory, nor foul, nor senseless, nor profane, and yet be unwholesome.* |
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