"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks" (Matthew 12:34)
The thoughtless and malicious use of the truth can be as devastating to others and to our witness as outright and intentional dishonesty, not to mention what it does to our spiritual life. Truth can be used as a weapon to hurt someone. Simply because something is true does not mean it should be repeated. Unnecessarily repeating a truth about someone can destroy their faith in people (especially within the body) and cause them to withdraw from the church fellowship. In Matthew 12:34, Jesus says the words we use reveal the condition of our hearts, which is his primary concern. He is interested in what we say and do, but he's more interested in the motives behind them. Before we say anything about someone, we should follow THINK. Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? And, is it kind?
From time to time, I've been guilty of telling something about another that person that, although true, caused terrible pain (and the sad part is I got some sort of perverse joy from it). In an effort to rid my life of this sin, I've had to think about ways that Satan can tempt us to misuse truth in hurtful and destructive ways.
A friend may tell me something about herself in confidence, but I find the temptation to share this information with some one else irresistible. I've violated the confidence of a friend and used a truth to destroy a relationship, perhaps forever.
I may have witnessed the stumbling of a fellow Christian who has fallen into sin. As a fellow believer, what should be my attitude toward that person? As Jesus modeled forgiveness, kindness, and redemption for the woman caught in adultery, I should love and pray for that person and seek to help him/her repent of their sin and return to a Godly lifestyle. I should never shoot the wounded, but help them to heal.
I've been know to pride myself in "telling it like it is." But, there is a huge difference in telling it like it is and being pure, holy, and edifying in my speech. Sometimes telling it like it is may not please God. I don't have to say it just because it is true. I don't have to share that juicy morsel of gossip just because it turns out to be fact. My words reveal what I am really like deep down in my heart. An apple tree doesn't produce grapes and a grapevine doesn't produce apples. If I'm walking close to Christ, my wholesome speech will be the fruit of that relationship. Words of kindness and hurtful words should never come from the same mouth. If I have an untamed tongue (and I do at times), it is because I have an impure heart.
The heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. Let's pray that God will give us hearts and minds modeled after Jesus and make a commitment to never us the truth to damage someone ever again. Being careful about what we say and how we say it is a sign of Christian maturity. "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."(Ephesians 4:29)
From time to time, I've been guilty of telling something about another that person that, although true, caused terrible pain (and the sad part is I got some sort of perverse joy from it). In an effort to rid my life of this sin, I've had to think about ways that Satan can tempt us to misuse truth in hurtful and destructive ways.
A friend may tell me something about herself in confidence, but I find the temptation to share this information with some one else irresistible. I've violated the confidence of a friend and used a truth to destroy a relationship, perhaps forever.
I may have witnessed the stumbling of a fellow Christian who has fallen into sin. As a fellow believer, what should be my attitude toward that person? As Jesus modeled forgiveness, kindness, and redemption for the woman caught in adultery, I should love and pray for that person and seek to help him/her repent of their sin and return to a Godly lifestyle. I should never shoot the wounded, but help them to heal.
I've been know to pride myself in "telling it like it is." But, there is a huge difference in telling it like it is and being pure, holy, and edifying in my speech. Sometimes telling it like it is may not please God. I don't have to say it just because it is true. I don't have to share that juicy morsel of gossip just because it turns out to be fact. My words reveal what I am really like deep down in my heart. An apple tree doesn't produce grapes and a grapevine doesn't produce apples. If I'm walking close to Christ, my wholesome speech will be the fruit of that relationship. Words of kindness and hurtful words should never come from the same mouth. If I have an untamed tongue (and I do at times), it is because I have an impure heart.
The heart of the problem is a problem of the heart. Let's pray that God will give us hearts and minds modeled after Jesus and make a commitment to never us the truth to damage someone ever again. Being careful about what we say and how we say it is a sign of Christian maturity. "Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear."(Ephesians 4:29)
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