Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only what is useful for building up, as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear.
- Ephesians 4:29
When Lindsey and I were making oatmeal for breakfast the other day, she grabbed what she thought was the canister of cinnamon only to realize it was actually chili powder. Needless to say, she put it back!
It got me thinking about which things on the spice rack would and would not make oatmeal taste better. Brown sugar? Yes. Garlic powder? No. Nutmeg? Yes. Basil? No. Vanilla? Yes. Curry? No. There are plenty of options, but while some would improve the taste of the oatmeal, others would make it decidedly worse.
In the same way, your words have the effect of improving or worsening your Christian witness. Some words can be like chili powder in oatmeal—they grab attention, but none of it is good. When believers use words to belittle people, to gossip, or to traffic in untruths, it can only hurt the cause of Christ.
But words have positive power too, and they can bring joy as easily as pain. An encouraging comment can be a light for someone who is struggling in darkness. Truth spoken with kindness can turn people from cynicism. A heartfelt prayer can bring power and peace. Like the brown sugar I put in my oatmeal, well-chosen words can make things better.
In an age when mass communication has never been more seamless, your words have more reach and carry more weight than ever before. So even when others engage in divisive bickering and conspiracy mongering, may Christians’ speech be useful for building up instead of breaking down. What you say may be the first taste people get of the gospel—so may your words not bear the bitterness of sin, but the sweetness of grace.
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