Today’s Scripture

“Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”

 —Ephesians 4:29-32 (NKJV)

Additional Scripture

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged.”

—John 16:7-11 (NKJV)

Reflect on the Word

The story is told of a critical person who approached Methodism founder John Wesley at a church service, saying, “My talent is to speak my mind.” Wesley allegedly replied: “That’s one talent that the Lord would not care a bit if you buried!”

Humorous as it is, there is nothing funny about the unwholesome and unconstructive talk that so often comes out of our mouths. We are exhorted to get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander and malice. That’s a good start; however, it doesn’t end there.

We must then replace it with that which is much better: kindness, compassion, forgiveness and love. This transformative process is a work of the Spirit. Our appropriate response to the work of the Spirit is repentance, and the bearing of spiritual fruit in keeping with that repentance.

Prayer + Contemplation

  1. Reflect on these scriptures and allow the Holy Spirit to come alongside you, helping you get rid of that which ought not to be in your heart, and replace it with something much better.
  2. When approaching challenging situations, pray Psalm 141:3 over your life: “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (NKJV).
  3. Have you been speaking your mind in an unwholesome way, whether to a person’s face, behind their back or online? We can’t undo the past, but we can repent of it. Take a moment to repent, seeking forgiveness from the Lord and, perhaps, even from any particular person you’ve offended.