Ephesians 4:26-32
Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry—but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life.
Did you use to make ends meet by stealing? Well, no more! Get an honest job so that you can help others who can't work. Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift.
Don't grieve God. Don't break his heart. His Holy Spirit, moving and breathing in you, is the most intimate part of your life, making you fit for himself. Don't take such a gift for granted.
Make a clean break with all cutting, backbiting, profane talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive. Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you.
Scripture quotations from The Message. © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress, Colorado Springs, CO. All rights reserved.
Our little Timothy has a new phrase… “I can’t.” For him, this phrase is multi-purpose – and used in a lot of situations. “I can’t go to bed! I can’t take a bath! I can’t eat that! I can’t build anything with my blocks!” You get the picture. Experts tell us that small children use phrases like this because they have not fully developed the language skills to express what is really bothering them. They also say that arguing with the child does not work… and may, in fact, escalate the situation into a full-blown tantrum. The recommendation is to be patient… to allow the child room to work out his/her differences in a non-confrontational setting… and if possible, to distract him/her and redirect the focus.
We know firsthand how challenging this is. And yet, we must begin at this young age to teach children how to use their words properly… how to “vent” their frustrations without anger or foul language… and how hurtful ugly talk can be to others – and to themselves.
As we grow, we must learn to control our temper – and our tongue. There are going to be plenty of things that irritate us… and maybe even drive us to anger. But when we let this fester and color our attitudes and behaviors, the devil wins. When we erupt in a confrontation and a plethora of foul words and hurtful comments, we give Satan a dozen reasons to celebrate. When we share untruths and lie, we cheat others – and ourselves – God is seriously grieved.
We sometimes forget that we have been given tremendous gifts… intelligence, talents, abilities, wit, and the skills to communicate with others. With these gifts come incredible responsibilities. God wants us to use the power of the Holy Spirit within us… manifested through our tongue and our actions… to glorify His holy name. He wants us to be a blessing to others… to share love, grace, mercy, forgiveness, and the GOOD NEWS of Jesus Christ. When we stoop to Satan’s level and use our words and actions in a confrontational, dishonest, or spiteful manner, we grieve God… and our “witness” is an epic fail.
Timothy will learn to express himself… and with our help, he will hopefully do so in a rational, calm, positive manner - most of the time! Those of us who are a little past the 3-year-old stage would do well to spend a while in communication with God and ask Him to help us get back on track. Examine your own life… your actions and words and how you treat others. Where do you need an attitude adjustment… and a taming of the tongue? Are you ready to operate in a manner that merits the tremendous gifts God has given you? Isn’t it time to get started?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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