Unwholesome Talk

Unwholesome Talk From: Today God Is First by Os Hillman November 27, 2020

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen" (Ephesians 4:29-30).

The way you interact with fellow employees at work or with neighbors or with family members can often determine whether you will be the leaven for Christ that He desires you to be or be viewed as one of the multitudes who are viewed as hypocrites -- those who profess faith in Christ but whose lives do not evidence His Lordship. Two defining situations in a believer's interaction with those around him involve joke-telling and discussions about other employees and bosses.

If we laugh at off-color jokes we give permission to the person telling the joke that it is OK to continue this activity in your presence. If we fail to laugh, we discourage this behavior.

When someone is about to tell a joke in my presence, I stop them and ask, "Is this a clean joke? If not, I don't want to hear it." This will define future situations with that person and my conviction will be communicated to others. You might become known as the religious person in your office or neighborhood -- they may even call you the religious kook, but that is OK.

The other situation that can define you is how you talk about management in front of other employees or how you gossip about your neighbors.

In a workplace or in a neighborhood or in a family, it can easily become a "we" versus "them" culture. If this happens you violate Paul's command to honor those who employ you and to show respect for your neighbors and friends and family.

"Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but to show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive" (Titus 2:9-10).

In the workplace or among friends and family, respect and honor go a long way toward building solid relationships. Guard your heart and your tongue will not be the "unruly member" the Bible warns about. If in your heart you love and honor those at work and at home, if you desire to be a living epistle in whom they can read of the love and salvation of Christ, you will. out of the abundance of your heart, speak godly truth to them.

"LORD, who may dwell in your sanctuary? Who may live on your holy hill? He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart and has no slander on his tongue, who does his neighbor no wrong and casts no slur on his fellowman" (Psalm 15:1-3).

Remember, you are always a witness, whether you use words or not.