Last night I was thinking about words and Christians, and about how distinctive Christians should be in their speech.
In one place in the Gospels, the Bible tells us that people marveled at Jesus’ gracious words.
Grace-driven, grace-filled, grace-giving words — is that too lofty a goal for me?
Then this morning I got to this:
Let your speech be always with grace. —Colossians 4:6.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver. As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear. -Proverbs 25:11,12
Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. -Ephesians 4:29
A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things. -Matthew 12:35
By thy words thou shalt be justified. -Matthew 12:37
The tongue of the wise is health. -Proverbs 12:18
They that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. -Malachi 3:16
If thou take forth the precious from the vile, thou shalt be as my mouth. -Jeremiah 15:19
Therefore, as ye abound in every thing, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, . . . see that ye abound in this grace also. – 2 Corinthians 8:7
Those words from God’s heart are targeted to my heart. And my mouth. (And yours, of course.)
And those of you preparing for Christian Light Publications’ Sunday School lesson for July 8 should find the above selection helpful. 🙂