“Lord please guide my heart that my tongue may not offend thee!”
Hello again Fellow Northsiders and friends.
Have you ever played the games Have You Ever? or Would You Rather? I’ve often wondered how such games came to be a part of cultural prominence. I mean, is it really a so-called wise thing to blurt out loud to a room full of family, friends or strangers your most embarrassing or not exactly flattering moments in life? Human beings are capable of creating some of the greatest and best or the absolute least and grotesque. Don’t worry or fret; this will not be a game as such, but the inspired thought for this article will walk us toward contemplating those moments when we spoke to soon or made a comment that didn’t necessarily come out the right way.
I frequently send out a morning scripture to encourage and inspire folks to read God’s word daily. It’s been a very helpful and meaningful way for me to challenge myself to start my day with a word from our creator. Tuesday morning’s word was Colossians 4:5-6 – “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” Certainly, this text instructs us on how we should conduct ourselves in the midst of outsiders, but I also noticed it directs us to know how to answer everyone (i.e., brothers and sisters in Christ). After reading this scripture, my mind drifted toward recalling a few times in my life when I slipped up and said out loud something I was thinking in my head, and that same thought should have remained in my head, but it didn’t. It flowed right off my tongue through my lips and into a sea of regretful rifts. So much humility and embarrassment followed those ill-spoken words as I stood there taking in the awkwardness of witnessing people digesting the unsavory meal of words I’d prepared. This incident provided a wonderful opportunity for me to learn a very valuable lesson: Not every thought that comes to my head is meant to be said aloud!
We should all consider how our words impact others, as some are very easily offended and there are some who believe to be offended is a matter of choice. No matter where another maybe fixed along this spectrum, we as followers of Christ have received instruction on how to season our words with salt and grace. Too much seasoning or not enough makes communication distasteful, tough and rough. Be wise and graceful with your words as we all desire to hear our Father in Heaven say, “Well done!”