2 Corinthians 12:20
For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder.
During World War II there was a slogan that was broadcast on radio, displayed on billboards, and published in newspapers: “LOOSE LIPS SINK SHIPS!” What did that mean? It meant that there may be spies close by and if you carelessly revealed information about the war effort, it could result in peril to our fighting forces.
As a young boy living in a small town fairly close to the Pacific coast, I felt the concern of the adults around me. Many families had sons or daughters serving in the military and others worked in the defense industry. They knew that silence was not only the best policy, it was the only policy.
How do we relate that slogan to a spiritual concept? The mouth is often used as a WMD — a weapon of mass destruction. Cruel and harsh things are spoken which wound and maim those within earshot. HOW WOULD JESUS SAY IT?
All too often I hear Christians saying things that would be better left unsaid, or to be said in a gentler and quieter way. God is not pleased with Christians who scream out in rage. He wants us to speak words of encouragement and hope.
May God richly bless you as you bless others by your words and actions!
– – – Pastor Cecil