My heart just dances to know that the God of heaven will speak to me, delights in me, and the depth to which He will take me to show me the way HE has for my life, my choices, my attitudes and most importantly, my heart.
One such lesson for my heart is found in Paul’s letter to the Ephesian church. He is telling this body of Christians to be mindful of the kind of talk coming out of their mouths. He warns that it should not be corrupt (unwholesome), it should be edifying (build others up), and it should impart GRACE (give, bestow, communicate, make known).
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 NKJV
I had to stop at the phrase: “that it may impart grace to the hearers”. I thought, my speech should not only impart grace to the one to whom I am speaking, but also to the entire audience of others within earshot of my words. They too qualify as the “hearers” in this verse. The instruction is that my words should not only build up, but be a testimony to all who hear me of words that make known GRACE. Yes, I am responsible for the hearers too, whatever bystander (or listening little kids ears) they may be.
I’m reminded that it is out of the overflow of the heart that the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). It’s the only place we can make strides to change what James said is an impossibility to tame (James 3:8). The change must go deeper – a true matter of the heart. Let NO corrupt word come out. May our words truly edify. May our words always make known GRACE to the hearers. Yes, that is my desire.
