Wednesday, June 26, 2019
For the choir director: A psalm of David, regarding the time Saul sent soldiers to watch David’s house in order to kill him. To be sung to the tune “Do Not Destroy!”
They come out at night, snarling like vicious dogs as they prowl the streets. Listen to the filth that comes from their mouths; their words cut like swords. “After all, who can hear us?” they sneer. But Lord, you laugh at them. You scoff at all the hostile nations. You are my strength; I wait for you to rescue me, for you, O God, are my fortress. In his unfailing love, my God will stand with me. He will let me look down in triumph on all my enemies. Don’t kill them, for my people soon forget such lessons; stagger them with your power, and bring them to their knees, O Lord our shield. Because of the sinful things they say, because of the evil that is on their lips, let them be captured by their pride, their curses, and their lies. Psalm 59:6-12
Captured
by your own pride, curses, and lies…what an incredible minefield in which to
walk! What human being isn’t trapped by
his own pride? Who among us hasn’t uttered
an idle curse (either with his lips or heart)?
Has there ever been anyone but Jesus who never lied?
We live in
an age where truth has gone begging; what has replaced simple truth is obscenity,
invective slurs thrown at each other. It
is a mud-slinging contest with the prize of this culture awarded to the vilest
potty-mouth. I do believe my mother
would have run out of mouth-washing soap!
Jesus did
not have a single word of praise for such.
However, the Lord did pass a searing word of warning about how we use words:
And I tell you this, you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak. Matthew 12:36
Now, if an
idle word can get you in trouble on judgment day, imagine
what judgment will happen for the mean-spirited nastiness that floods like a
torrential downpour from the mouths of people in everyday life.
Paul
understood the difference between vile language and helpful language. In Acts 9 the Apostle is breathing out words
of death and destruction to Christians, followed by the deeds of oppression and
execution. In a heartbeat Paul’s soul is
converted when he met Christ, and the conviction that brought down the enemy of
Jesus and His church, becomes the instrument of building up that same church he
persecuted. Here’s good advice from this
once foul-mouthed Pharisee, who’d learned how to clean up his act (and his
mouth):
Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. Ephesians 4:29
For You Today
A little more
advice from a formerly trench-mouthed apostle of doom, who had learned what
really should proceed from our lips; he learned that if you want good stuff to
come out of your mouth, you need to fill the heart with that good stuff,
because that’s where all the words have their birthplace.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8
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Title Image: Pixabay.com Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture
quotations are from The
New Living Translation©
