"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."-Ephesians 4:29
We took a look at this scripture together, and everyone really had a lot to say about it. Here's what we came up with.
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth..."
What's a corrupt word? A lot of people think it just means four-letter words. But we came up with a much longer list, including:
Cuss words. These are the words we all associate with foul language.
Curses.
A "curse" in Biblical terms is not the same as a cuss word. It's when you make a negative declaration about someone like "You're no good" or "You'll never amount to anything."
Lies
. What could be more corrupt than saying things that are just plain false!
Gossip.
This is especially bad when we say things about people that we can't even be sure are really true!
Threats and plots.
These are words of harmful intent either spoken directly to someone or to others.
Slurs.
These are negative generalizations about a group based on race, nationality or some other attribute.
Blasphemy.
One of the worst kinds of speech we can engage in is saying bad things about God!
Quite a list, isn't it? There are clearly many ways that corrupt words can come out of our mouths. We definitely have to be on our guard!
"...but what is good for necessary edification..."
OK, now let's look at the flip side. "Edification" means "building up." So what kind of words build people up? Here are some of the examples we came up with:
Praise. Complimenting people is a great habit to get into.
Encouragement.
Who doesn't need this once in a while?
Blessings.
These are statements like "May God give you good health all the days of your life" or "Don't worry, the Holy Spirit will give you the wisdom you need when the time comes."
Advice.
We often have useful knowledge that we can share with another person.
Thanks
. It's important to express our appreciation for what other people have done.
"I love you."
Three little words that can make a big difference in someone's day.
Our list was even longer. But that gives you the general idea. We should use our words to build people up, not tear them down.
"...that it may impart grace to the hearers."
Some people define "grace" as "unmerited favor." That's a somehwat useful definition, but the word "favor" can imply that it's only God's attitude towards us that is positive despite the fact that we don't really deserve it. Grace is actually more than that. Because of His unmerited favor, God actually bestows blessings and empowerment upon us. Grace is active! So one of our members expressed it this way:
"Share the positive energy that God has given you with other people."
Wow! Is that a great statement about Christian living or what? I can't wait to hear what we come up with next!
