Watch Your Words

As you might have read before I get a devotional during the week.  I had let them pile up recently and decided to put them in my OneNote notebook and read them later.  Well I finally read one of them a short time ago.  It was called "Did I Really Say That?".  It was from Wendy Blight. 

It was talking about how we say things.  The example she gave was interesting.  She had just spent time cleaning her kitchen.  After finishing and look at the nice clean area her husband came home for lunch to make one of his famous sandwiches, which would mean that every thing would be a mess again.  She gave directions as he was making his lunch.  As she was listening to the words coming out of her mouth and her husbands reaction to them, God kind of gave her one of those thunk in the head kind of moments.  What the heck did I just say?!?

I can kind of relate.  I take great pleasure in keeping a clean house for my husband.  It is the least I can do.  But with three cats it never fails that as soon as I get something cleaned up, rugs vacuumed and cat puke cleaned up, that one of them makes another mess for me to clean up.  I can get mad and fuss and spout angry words, but what good does it do me.  They can't help it and if I do it to them, how do I react when something else gets messed up after I think I have it all under control. 

Wendy gave some scriptures of what are words should be like:

Edifying:

"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 (NIV)

Gentle:

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger." Proverbs 15:1 (NIV)

Self-controlled:

"A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control." Proverbs 29:11 (NIV 1984)

Compassionate:

"Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)

Really made me think about how I need to be careful about my words with even the cats, because there could be someone outside in the hall that would hear me and not know that I am yelling at a cat and think that is the way I am with people.

Interesting how cat could use cat puke as an object lesson.  I really value Proverbs 31 ministries.  They have so many wonderful women of God who share lesson they have learned which help me to become a better person.