As children, we learned to chant things at each other. There were favorites I’ll never forget:
“Takes one to know one.” Or
“I’m rubber and you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks on you.” Or
“I know you are, but what am I?”
I remember girls singing the best ones back to us—a boy might insult a girl, and she would take on a sassy voice and that evil eye like only little girls do, and pronounce these lines, her sing-song voice making the mockery of it even deeper:
“Sticks and stones may break my bones,
But words will never hurt me!”
But words do hurt, often more than actually fighting. And Jesus took words seriously and told us to do the same:
“I tell you that on the day of Judgment, people will have to account for every careless word they speak. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned” Matthew 12:36-37.
Wait. What? Every word? I’m going to have to explain EVERY CARELESS WORD?
That’s rough when you have talked as much as I have. Not every kid earns the nickname “Motormouth.” Most of my life I could not have accounted for every word even at the end of a single day.
The thought of having to explain a lifetime of careless words is staggering. Overwhelming.
Of course, the blood of Jesus delivers me from the guilt, but not from the duty to obey: He expects me to choose my words carefully.
Do I? Do you? Do you close your mouth and wait for God’s wisdom? Do you take a breath and cool off before responding? Do you ever sleep on it?
I know someone who is nice, but negative. His words leave a trail of destruction and discontent. When he speaks, everyone else ends up frustrated—not with him, but with their own circumstances. His words spread unhappiness all over everyone the way a knife spreads butter on bread. Beg God to keep us from being like him!
ΑΩ
Household Words: 