Watch Your Words

Pause & Reflect

Paul tells believers not to let corrupt speech come out of their mouths, but only what is useful for building others up. Words have weight. They can comfort or humiliate. Clarify or manipulate. Heal or wound. The challenge is not merely avoiding obvious profanity or cruelty. It also includes sarcasm used to injure, gossip disguised as concern, criticism spoken without love, exaggeration and words used to control. A mature woman does not simply ask: “Is what I am saying technically true?” She also asks: “Is it necessary? Is it timely? Is it gracious? Will it build rather than unnecessarily destroy?” Truth and grace belong together. You will not always speak perfectly. But you can become quicker to recognise harmful speech, apologise and choose better words.