Day 71

Ephesians 5:4 ~ “Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers. Instead, there should be thanksgiving.”

I was in line at the grocery store the other day and there were a group of teenagers in line behind me. They were looking at a magazine with Beyonce on the cover, going on and on about what they would do to her. It was quite offensive. I started to turn around and ask them to watch their language, but I changed my mind thinking, “Oh well, they’re not my kids. If they want to speak like that then it has nothing to do with me.” On the contrary, it has everything to do with me. I want to remind you today that as believers we have the right to say no to certain conversations, we can’t tolerate it. There is too much at stake to allow ourselves to be bogged down with words that don’t glorify God, it hurts us too much. Think of it this way, if you sit next to a person all day who speaks nothing but negativity, what kind of effect do you think it will have on you if you don’t say anything about it? You will begin to have that same negative speech. When words are spoken into the atmosphere, they come alive. (speak those things that are not as though they were) We can’t afford to contaminate the goodness God has placed in us with unwholesome talk. We should be speaking life, not death, even when you’re joking around. We should be thanking Him for not wiping us off the face of the earth like we deserve. I encourage you today to evaluate what you say and what you allow to be said to you. If you wouldn’t feel comfortable holding that conversation in front of God, maybe you shouldn’t be having it!