Written by Deanna Brooks, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Arkansas
“So, do you want a straw or a spoon with this?” the obviously new teenage employee asked as he handed me the hot fudge sundae at Sonic. His question surprised me, and I smiled and said, “I usually use a spoon,” and then he realized that you don’t eat a sundae with a straw. He ran back to get a spoon and just as he reached my car, he realized he brought another straw. The third time he brought a spoon, embarrassed as he kept apologizing. I told him it was OK… he was doing a good job, and he smiled and said, “Thank you for being kind and encouraging me.”
As I sat in the heat enjoying the cool ice cream, two Scriptures went through my mind. “Set a guard, O LORD, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Ps. 141:3 ESV). “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer” (Ps. 19:14 ESV).
As a disciple of Jesus Christ my speech is being refined to be different from that of the world. At times of inconvenience or frustration or when we are caught off-guard, it is easy to blurt out something we should not say.
As a disciple, I also need to remember cultures are different. When I went to Scotland as a college student, we were given a list of words that have a different meaning in the UK. Even in the United States there are cultural differences from one area to another in meanings of some words, and we need to be aware of these differences.
Paul mentioned how the disciple should speak when he wrote: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up” (Eph. 4:29 ESV).
He also wrote, “Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving” (Eph. 5:4 ESV).
In Acts 4:36, Barnabas is called “son of encouragement.” While we are not given a lot of detail, I can hear him telling John Mark later in the book, “You can do this… forget what happened last time.”
Jesus told His followers, “On the day of judgment people will give an account for every careless word they speak” (Mt. 12:36 ESV).
Words... are the major way we communicate with others. James 1 and 3 tell us to “bridle” our tongue, which means “restrain” or “control.” What we say and how we say it often leaves an impression that is never forgotten, and just because we think it doesn’t mean we need to say it.
In Matthew 26:73 Peter was told, “Your speech betrays you,” and while this may have referred to a Galilean accent, it is something we need to think on: How can our speech make others aware we are a follower of the Christ?