“THE RIGHT WORDS AT THE RIGHT TIME"

"Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."

Ephesians 4:29

For the most part, it's not very hard to determine what's in a person's heart; all you have to do is pay attention to the words they use to express themselves.

One of the first indications that God was working in my heart was a significant change in my speech. I used to be a person who couldn't speak a sentence without garnishing it with cursing. But when I committed my life to the Lord Jesus, He cleansed my vocabulary—and He still does.

In our verse of the day, Paul gives another contrast; this time, it's between corrupt speech and encouraging words. The word "corrupt" comes from the Greek "sapros," which means spoiled, rotten, and worthless. It was used to describe spoiled fish or rotten fruit. Biblically, it is applied metaphorically to anything morally or spiritually unfit for use.

Contrary to what others often say, "I couldn't help it. It just came out of my mouth," Paul is telling us that we have full control over our words. We have the choice to speak words that can either hurt or help. For Christians, talking trash or nonsense is unacceptable. We would rather keep quiet if we aren't going to say something helpful.

Scripture reminds us to season our words with "salt," meaning we should not only flavor our speech with the truth but also use our words to purify the corrupt society in which we live.

Paul also points out that our words should be spoken to encourage others, not tear them down. This means that when we communicate with others, we should impart strength, hope, and truth. When a troubled person speaks to us, he or she should feel much better and gain a renewed faith in God.

Another critical point in this verse is that we should speak the right words at the right time. As the saying goes, "Timing is everything." It's best to set aside criticism when the person is grieving or struggling. On the other hand, even a simple word of encouragement like "I am praying for you" can mean a lot to someone going through a difficult situation (but be sure to pray as you promised, of course).

Those around us expect our speech to reciprocate our confession of faith. Therefore, we should be mindful when sharing our thoughts and comments. 

"Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." 

Proverbs 16:24

Pursue the Savior today!

Photo by Benyamin Bohlouli on Unsplash