Language and Talk

Good Morning,

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, that it may benefit those who listen.
Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)
Don't use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

I wonder sometimes how many "good Christians" are sort of like me in that they sometimes have a difficult time with those words that occasionally (or more often?) aren't the wholesome talk or helpful words that we read in today's Scripture. I guess the "good Christians" part is in quotes because, I also wonder just how good we are if we have such a tough time being obedient to what Paul wrote in this verse.

Part of the reason that many of us have difficult time with the words we use is that we hear so much of it in our daily lives. It's prevalent at workplaces, I know, and also much too prevalent at schools...even down to elementary schools, unfortunately. We hear derisive language and foul, abusive language at the places where we shop and sometimes at the restaurants where we dine. No matter what words we use to describe the words we hear...foul, unwholesome, abusive, or many other characterizations...we hear kinds of words and language used too often and much too easily.

Now, the opposite is also true, if my observations are at all accurate. We don't hear anywhere near enough words being used that are helpful and good. We don't hear people using words which build others up or encourage other people. Our society, it is obvious, has become one in which words are mostly used in negative and abusive ways instead of positive and uplifting ways.

Now, there's not much we can do about what other people say and how they use their words. What we can do, however, is to be much more careful about those words we use and the ways in which we use our words. It seems, though, that there are many of us who will need to break some bad habits about our words and language. Yes, I'm one of them, I'm sure.

So, how to do it? Well, I guess we who sometimes struggle in this area can become hermits, living alone, and never having to hear others use words in ways that might cause us to continue to use language we ought not to. Okay, I guess that's not really a viable answer, is it? Seriously, one of the ways that we can begin to get a handle on language we don't want to use is to have someone, or several someones, help us by gently reminding us that a word or comment is out line or inappropriate. A spouse or someone that we spend a lot of time with would be the perfect one to help. Even our kids can help us if we'll let them. A coworker, perhaps? You see, we need someone to help because much too often we don't even realize what it is we're saying or are not cognizant of the words we're using. A habit, as I said.

The first thing we must do, however, is to admit there's a problem. We've got to admit it to ourselves, first, and then to God. Finally, we've got to take someone into our confidence to help. You can probably be assured that the person you might ask to help will already be very aware that help is needed. I mean, it's not like we can hide the words that are so easily spoken, can we? And, just as one cannot "unring" a bell once it has pealed, we cannot unsay words that have been spoken.

If we will all make a true attempt at reigning in our "unwholesome talk" and our "foul or abusive language" then we will also be helping others who hear what we say. We help them by being better examples.

Love, peace, and blessings,

David