The Words of Our Mouths
In our Sunday morning sermon, we heard a cute definition of gossip---mouth to mouth recitation. God warns us about being gossips. "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." Eph. 4:29
I was always told as a child, If you can't say something good about somebody, don't say anything at all. That was wise counsel given to me. It is easy to be drawn into conversations as women. We love to talk. We relish the fellowship, the sharing of each other's lives, and rejoicing with each other about the blessings God sends our way. However, it's harder to withdraw from conversations that begin by sharing information that is not uplifting or encouraging about someone else. Negative speech always makes us uncomfortable, but are we strong enough to stand up and say so? Often not! If we talk unkindly about another person, whether it be a boss, a friend, our husbands, or someone we don't even know well, it not only harms the person we are gossiping about, but it harms us as the gossiper. We speak out of turn by passing on judgmental or casual comments about another person. Gossip can be very harmful in putting false impressions into others' heads about another person. We have no right to pass our opinions on to someone else. Our tongues deceive us when we pass on secondhand or thirdhand information that may have gotten jumbled along the way. A good thought to remember is to think first before we speak. Is what I am about to say uplifting and encouraging to all parties concerned?
In James, he tells us, "Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it."
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
May your fellowship with one another always be a joy!
Sandy
I was always told as a child, If you can't say something good about somebody, don't say anything at all. That was wise counsel given to me. It is easy to be drawn into conversations as women. We love to talk. We relish the fellowship, the sharing of each other's lives, and rejoicing with each other about the blessings God sends our way. However, it's harder to withdraw from conversations that begin by sharing information that is not uplifting or encouraging about someone else. Negative speech always makes us uncomfortable, but are we strong enough to stand up and say so? Often not! If we talk unkindly about another person, whether it be a boss, a friend, our husbands, or someone we don't even know well, it not only harms the person we are gossiping about, but it harms us as the gossiper. We speak out of turn by passing on judgmental or casual comments about another person. Gossip can be very harmful in putting false impressions into others' heads about another person. We have no right to pass our opinions on to someone else. Our tongues deceive us when we pass on secondhand or thirdhand information that may have gotten jumbled along the way. A good thought to remember is to think first before we speak. Is what I am about to say uplifting and encouraging to all parties concerned?
In James, he tells us, "Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him, speaks against the law and judges it."
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."
May your fellowship with one another always be a joy!
Sandy
posted by Sandy Fewell at 6:52 AM
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