|
|
|
|
Friday, Jan 12 - Surrendering Your Tongue (Words)
|
|
|
|
DEVOTIONAL: “SURRENDERING YOUR TONGUE (WORDS)”
|
Many of us grew up hearing the phrase, “sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.” Perhaps you were given this quip by your caregivers to use as a stern reminder to the playground bully that their words could not negatively impact you. And yet, if you’re honest with yourself, those words from the playground did hurt (albeit in a different way than when that same bully pushed you off the swings). Scripture is clear that hurtful words are sin in God’s eyes.
|
Surrendering to His ways with your tongue for the sake of honoring God is certainly important; however, He also wants your tongue to please Him for another reason. As Paul wrapped up his letter to the Colossians, he shared the following:
|
|
|
|
Walk in wisdom toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person. (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)
|
|
What does a surrendered tongue sound like? First, it should be “gracious.” Your words should be kind, polite, and understanding, even when this same disposition is not reciprocated by others.
|
A surrendered tongue should also be “seasoned with salt.” Hurtful words damage relationships. But just as salt preserved meat in Paul’s day, words seasoned with salt preserve relationships.
|
Lastly, a surrendered tongue assists Jesus-followers to be better witnesses to those who do not yet know Jesus. Paul tells us to “walk in wisdom towards outsiders” by surrendering our tongues so that we “may know how [we] ought to answer each person.”
|
I don’t know about you, but I want to live a life that reflects Jesus’ love to my coworkers, friends, and neighbors, so that they will someday come to know Him. One of the most common criticisms of Christians I hear in my circles is that they (we) are hypocrites, saying one thing yet doing another. Of course, I constantly remind myself there is plenty of truth to this criticism because we are all sinners (Romans 3:23), but I want to do everything I can to counteract this narrative.
|
When you surrender your tongue to His ways through gracious conversations that build others up, you can be used by God in amazing ways this year (and beyond) to spread the greatest news ever: that God sent His Son to die on the cross for our sins. May you be encouraged today to surrender your tongue for His glory and your good.
|
Dear God, I confess that my tongue has often been used to hurt rather than build others up. Today, I want to surrender my tongue to you. I ask that you help me to be gracious in what I say, and to be an encouragement to others I speak with this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
|
|
1. Ask yourself the following: Are there any words/phrases God’s Spirit wants you to eliminate from your mouth? Is there a person with whom God wants you to share certain words?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
