Watching Our Words

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29 NASB

When I first became truly aware of the words in this verse, about 20 years ago, it brought tears to my eyes. Now, I wasn't one to use "bad language," swear words, or even a lot of "slang" words, but the Lord used something about this verse to speak to me in a very deep way that day. I will address that more further along, but first some other issues about our words and the application of this verse. Other Scripture translations read "corrupt communication"(KJV), "corrupt word"(NKJV), "unwholesome talk"(NIV), "rotten talk"(CSB). Perhaps you are like me and never have considered your words to be "unwholesome," "corrupt" or "rotten," but how often are there some words we might use in place of those that we seek to never let pass over our lips. Such as "darn" or "drat," "heck" or "gads," "gees" or "fudge," and others, expressed with the same intent. They are a habitual response and that tends to come out of our month when we are frustrated or irritated or angry. Perhaps there have been other times when we have muttered them under our breath, not really aloud for anyone to hear! I was convicted of this even more years ago by these verses from the book of James, chapter 3:9-12, addressing the use of the tongue. "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men...Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers (sisters), this should not be." NIV ( ) mine

Another thing that I've become more and more aware of in recent years is the use of God's name by those in the Christian community in an exclamatory way ~~ "God!" or "My God!" or "Oh, my God!". While teaching the Ten Commandments to my Kindergarten class (also a number of years ago), and wanting to impress on them what was meant by "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain...", we talked about how we would use God's Name "in vain." Understanding "in vain" to mean "misuse" or "for no reason," we concluded that God's Name should not be used just casually or at anytime other than in praying to Him or praising Him. The Jewish people considered God's Name too holy to even speak it. "Yahweh is the promised name of God. This name of God which (by Jewish tradition) is too holy to voice, is actually spelled "YHWH" without vowels....During the third century A.D., the Jewish people stopped saying this name in fear of contravening the commandment "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain" (Exd 20:7)."1 

"Watching Our Words" will be continued....

DeEtta

1www.blueletterbible.org/study