Use the Power of Your Words for Good by Mark D. Roberts Ephesians 4:29 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 As you may recall, in Ephesians 4:22-24 our life in Christ is pictured as a matter of putting off the old self and putting on the new. We get rid of the negative and dress up in the positive. The verses that follow offer specific applications of this general principle. In 4:25, were to put off falsehood and speak truthfully instead. In 4:26, were to take off sinful expressions of anger. In 4:28, thieves are to stop stealing and start working. Ephesians 4:29 continues this pattern of moral exhortation, beginning with the negative to be rejected before moving to the positive to be embraced: Do not let any unwholesome [sapros] talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful [agathos] for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. The Greek word sapros can mean rotten, of poor quality, bad, or harmful. It shows up in the saying of Jesus, [E]very good [agathon] tree bears good fruit, but a bad [sapron] tree bears bad fruit (Matt. 7:17). As Christians, we need to put away words that harm and hurt others, words that tear down rather than building up. By contrast, we are to use our language positively. The language that comes out of our mouths should be helpful [agathos] for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (4:29). The word translated here as helpful can simply mean good. Note two ways in which we can use the power of words for good. First, our words can build up people according to their needs. Second, our words can benefit those who listen. The original Greek is stronger than this. It says that our words can give grace to those who hear them. Thats right. Your words can be a source of grace to others. Ephesians 4:29 challenges all of us to consider how we use the power of our words. Do your words sometimes tear down or hurt others? Do you get stuck in complaining that discourages others and fractures community? Or do you use the power of speech for good, for building up those around you and for being a channel of Gods grace to them? QUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION: As you think about these questions, you might ask yourself: How would my colleagues at work describe the impact of my words? How would my close friends or family members talk about how I use the power of my words? Am I known as someone who regularly builds up others? Do I see myself as a channel of Gods grace through my words? Would others see me this way? PRAYER: Gracious God, your Word challenges me today. Though Im not one to use lots of bad language, there are times when I revel in complaining or gossip. I can use my words in ways that hurt others and break down community. Forgive me, Lord. Help me to steward well the power of my words. May I see opportunities to build up others and seize these opportunities. May I find ways to share your grace with others throughout the day, whether Im at work or at home, hanging out with friends or interacting with a checkout clerk. Help me to use the power of my words for good, for your good, Lord, and for the good of others. Amen. ______________________________ Mark Roberts is the Executive Director of Digital Media and the Theological and Cultural Steward for Foundations for Laity Renewal. He is the author of eight books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. He lives in Boerne, Texas, with his wife, Linda. Their children spend most of the year away at college on the East Coast. Send a note to Mark. Sports for the Glory of God If God has created humanity with bodies that are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” we need to develop a Christian way of living that incorporates play and recreation, leisure and competition, sports and athletics. Join us this week for Sports for the Glory of God, where we engage with stories of people who are working through these issues on a daily basis.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 16:20:38 +0000
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