Rotten Words

"Let no unwholesome--rotten--word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

"And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity"

How often does our Lord warn us of the danger of our words? Iniquity is the evil that I do without even thinking about it, the evil that I do naturally, when the flesh is controlling my life, and not the indwelling Spirit. And yet, such it is--way too often--with my words. They are "the world of iniquity." And still, we take the warnings so callously. How often do we say words that tear down, that are ungracious, that undermine, that profane the sacred as casually as if God could care less about what we say? He who calls Himself the Word desires that our speech be acceptable in His sight, reflect the mediation of our hearts on Him, are good for edification, and give grace to the listeners. And He also warns us that our words can break the heart of the Spirit--the Holy Spirit--who lives within us, the assurance of our completed redemption. Grief, you know, is a love word. As I meditate on His unspoken word--the revelation of His glory in the majesty of His creation; and as I meditate on His written Word, words that are blameless, sure, right, pure, clean, true, righteous altogether--the very thoughts of God that He has graciously shared with His people, then the words of my mouth will be acceptable in His sight--my Lord, my rock, my Redeemer. If so, then my words will restore the hurting soul, make wise the teachable spirit, bring joy to the sorrowful, enlighten the searching, warn His servants and keep them from presumptuous sins.
May the Spirit who lives within me control my thoughts and thus my words so that what I say reflects His holiness and His love for others, and not the rotten words that I too often speak in selfishness. in self-centered disregard for the hearts and minds and feelings of others, and in self-exultation in a vain attempt to impress others with my "freedom," my "spiritual" worldliness. May the Holy Spirit, my Hope of Glory, not be broken-hearted as He listens to the words of my mouth.

Are the words of my mouth "more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb?"

Such should be--must be--the testimony of God's servant. Anything less is an apathetic indifference to His sacrificial love for me and the Spirit's earnest desire to sanctify me and transform me into His image. We must love Him--and thus others--in word and in deed.