Building up - 6 November 2009 |
|
Scripture frequently reminds us of the danger of sinning in our words. Lies, anger, corrupt talk – all these things have no place among the people of God. Listen, for example, to Ephesians 4:
25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil… 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Notice that the Lord here also makes a positive demand of us. It’s not just that our words shouldn’t do damage; they should positively do good: only such words as are ‘good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.’
This is particularly important to remember when we are discussing the sins of other people. It’s sometimes necessary to discuss the sins of others – for example, parents talking about their children, or when we feel wronged and need to seek advice about responding to a difficult situation.
But Ephesians 4 reminds us that the goal of all such conversations should never be simply to get confirmation that we were in the right and that ‘they’ (whoever they are) were in the wrong.
Rather, our goal should be to do good to everyone, including the one who has wronged us. ‘Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up.’
Posted by Steve Jeffery · Topics: Bible, Godliness, Minister's Blog