“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
A friend of mine posted this on her Facebook status today, and I was really thankful for the reminder. Then I started thinking…what exactly does this mean? Unwholesome talk? I decided to look a little further.
From www.dictionary.com:
unwholesome (ʌnˈhəʊlsəm)
— adj
1. detrimental to physical or mental health: an unwholesome climate
2. morally harmful or depraved: unwholesome practices
3. indicative of illness, esp in appearance
4. (esp of food) of inferior quality
This really gets me thinking about some of the stuff I say. I mean…don’t get me wrong, I’m a pretty decent girl. I just seem to speak before I think sometimes. I know I have hurt people before without meaning to. We can face it…we’ve all done that. I am going to attempt to meditate on this Word and apply it to my life.
I don’t want to be detrimental to anyone. I don’t want to be morally harmful. And really – I don’t want to be ill and unwholesome talk indicates that there is an infection somewhere.
Abba Father, please heal the infection in me that causes me to let unwholesome talk proceed out of my mouth. Use me, God, to lift others up and make their lives better. Create in me a pure heart and clean hands, my Lord. Amen.
