Listen

Blessing and cursing come from the same mouth. My brothers and sisters, it just shouldn’t be this way!

Both fresh water and salt water don’t come from the same spring, do they? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree produce olives? Can a grapevine produce figs? Of course not, and fresh water doesn’t flow from a saltwater spring either.

James 3:10-12

Think

Ponder this question – What did God design our mouths for? In thinking about that question for myself, I came up with four things:

1. Eating.
2. Giving kisses to my family and my dogs.
3. Using it along with the rest of my head to make silly faces so my kids will laugh.
4. Communicating with others.

But did God intend for us to use our speech to put others down? “Of course not,” we think! Yet how often do we use our words to tear others down – or not use our words to bring out the best in us? We use our words in such harmful ways at school, at work, watching our favorite sports teams lose, in politics, and to anyone who can hear us when we’re having a bad day.

In Ephesians 4:15, Paul says we grow in every way into Christ by speaking the truth in love. James is a bit blunter by saying harsh words and good words just don’t mix together.

Let us strive to speak the truth in love.

Jeremy Wilhelmi

Pray

Faithful God, help me seek words that speak the truth in love. May they always be focused on building up the body of Christ. Amen.

Go

Speak out, but speak kindly.

Speak boldly, but speak humbly.

Speak often, but don’t waste your words.

Speak passionately, but speak faithfully.

Speak the truth, but speak it in love.

Speak, but don’t forget to listen.