Tuesday, September 16, 2008 - THINK
The Bible says that the tongue has the power of life and death. When we speak before we think, we often use our tongue as a death weapon. I want to encourage you to think before you speak.
This acrostic for Think will help you think before you speak. Yesterday we saw that T stands for true. Speak only what you know to be true.
H is helpful.
Are the words you’re just getting ready to say going to help anyone? If not, don’t say them.
Ephesians 4:29 is one of the most powerful verses in the Bible, in my opinion, and if we practiced it, we definitely would think before we speak. It says, 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.
Some years ago I began praying this verse into my life, and I encourage you to do the same. Then I noticed that when I would start to say something, I would often hear that inaudible voice of God’s Spirit saying, “Is this going to help anyone else; will it benefit those who listen?” That has caused me to stop in the middle of lots of sentences, as I realized that I didn’t need to say what I was planning to say because it wasn’t helpful to anyone else.
Can you even imagine the wonderful changes that would take place on our jobs, in our churches, and in our homes if we determined not to speak any words that were unwholesome, that did not benefit others? That would eliminate griping and complaining; it would keep us from nagging people; it would cause us to stop passing on gossip. My goodness, it would make a difference in the way we live.
So think about what you’re going to say before you say it. It’s so much easier to swallow those unhelpful words than it is to try to recover from them once they are said. If it’s not helpful, just don’t say it.
T.H.I.N.K. before your speak! Are you words…True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, Kind?
Concept created by Carol Schweig: thinkbracelets@yahoo.com.
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