Critical Words

 

In yesterday morning’s  devotional, Joy Haney used the following as a Scripture text:

 “Keep thy tongue from evil”  Psalm 34:13

 She continued with:

 “What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good?  Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.”  Psalm 34:12-13

 and to reiterate the truth:

 “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.”  1 Peter 3:10

 As an illustration, she used a story by Walter B. Knight about a father and son who had attended a church service together.  The father found fault with EVERYTHING about it.  He had put $.10 in the offering, which unbeknownst to the father, the son noticed.  In turn, the boy asked his dad, “What do you expect for a dime?”  She, then, stated that despite the amount of the offering, there’s nothing in God’s Word that gives permission or the right to criticize and pull others down.

OUCH!!! This really jumped out and sucker-punched me!!  Not that I have EVER thought that my offering excused me to sin, (because that’s exactly what criticizing and pulling others down

is- SIN ), but how many times have I, maybe, “justified” it because I, either, THOUGHT the criticism was deserved or, even, that it was “OK” because it was expressed in secret?  How would I REALLY feel if the person being critiqued ever found out about how ugly I was speaking about them?  I know EXACTLY how I would feel…REMORSEFULY ashamed, THOROUGHLY embarrassed, and REPULSED with myself!!!  Better yet, let’s turn the tables on this.  How would I feel to know the critical remarks that have been made about me because, without ONE doubt, those remarks HAVE been spoken.  COMPLETELY and UTTERLY devastated…that’s how I would feel!

 So, in knowing this, why not start OBEYING the Word?

 “but exhort one another daily, while it is called ‘Today’, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”  Hebrews 3:13

 “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another…” 1 Thess. 5:11

 “Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification.”  Romans 15:2

 “Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.”  Eph. 4:29

Words are SO incredibly powerful!!!  Regardless of the mood or feelings, one must be extremely careful regarding what is spoken.  They can never be taken back, and sometimes, the damage done could be irreparable.

 

My prayer:

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.”  Psalm 19:14