"Words"

I sometimes get frustrated,

When folks just won’t behave,

Seems like they just don’t care at all,

With words they rant and rave.

I guess they have their reasons,

And mostly think they’re right,

But I can’t stand the rudeness,

They have a poison bite.

So what to do about it,

Is there really anything,

To calm down that old argument,

And some solution bring.

I’ve thought a lot about it,

I’ve prayed about it, too,

I keep coming back to one thing,

That we might all can do.

And that’s just ask the Father,

If what we’re ‘bout to say,

Is really what He’s wanting,

Fits in His plan that day.

Not just is it truthful,

Because that’s not enough,

But also if it’s loving,

Though truth in love is tough.

But also is the timing,

Is what the Spirit leads,

And not just my reaction,

To someone’s evil seeds.

Notice there’s not one thing,

About what others say,

‘Cause we cannot control them,

It’s if we are okay.

I’ve heard that our reaction,

To the speck caught in their eye,

Becomes the log stuck in our own,

So we just have to try,

To stop all our reactions,

Let God take full control,

And pray before we say it,

Ask Him to make us whole.

“…keep your tongue from speaking evil, and your lips from telling lies…” (1 Peter 3:10, NLT)

What we say matters. The Bible tells us that words carry the power of life and death. Today’s culture is verbally venomous. It’s not okay to say what you think, either. Yes, we have freedom of speech, but Christians are governed by the Spirit in everything we say and do. When we spout off in reaction to what someone says or posts, it shows that we are not allowing the Spirit to control our words. God help us to change. The sharing of God’s Good News is a verbal transaction and so is salvation. It’s about belief and confession, and how shall they know unless they hear and how shall they hear unless someone tells them. We live it so we can tell it, but we muddy the water if we’re engaging in argument and constantly sharing our opinion on every topic. I usually don’t regret what I don’t say. I often regret what I do say. May our words become part of the solution, not the problem.

Lord, control our words by Your Spirit, in Jesus’ name.

Art by Mikel Donahue, mikeldonahue.com. Used by permission. Thanks, Mikel, and God bless you.