Friday, May 29, 2009

Words


"But I say to you that for
every idle word men may
speak, they will give
account of it in the day
of judgement."
Matthew 12:36




Jesus spoke plainly about our idle words, yet
His warning often goes unheeded. Idle words
are things we say carelessly, without concern
for their impact on others. We too quickly
assume that the sins of our tongue are minor
sins, sins that God will overlook. Yet, Jesus
was fully aware of the devastating nature of
our words, for the idle words that come from
our mouths give a lucid picture of the condition
of our heart (Matt. 15:17-20).

The more time we spend in idle chatter, the greater
the likelihood that we will say things that are
harmful. We are in much less danger of saying
something offensive when we are listening than
when we are speaking! Christians should speak
only words that uplift and bring grace to others.

~Henry T. Blackaby & Richard Blackaby~
From: Experiencing God Day by 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


God has given us two ears, but one tongue, to show that we
should be swift to hear, but slow to speak. God has set a double
fence before the tongue, the teeth and the lips, to teach us to
be wary that we offend not with our tongue.

-- Thomas Watson

3 comments:

  1. Oh boy, this one is so great and speaks volumes Susie. Taming the tongue has been a long and hard journey for me over the years. I have lost many a friend because I now say no to gossip. It is so destructive and hurtful and I am ashamed for my part in the past and thankful to be forgiven. Love you Susie. Have a great day.

    Love and Hugs, Laurie

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  2. This is a good one. And I definitely need to pay more attention to what comes out of my mouth. Looking forward to seeing you and Dad tomorrow. Love you, Brooke

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  3. Excellent words. I need to take everyone of them to heart, and WATCH my tongue. Good devotional. Thanks.

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