My Speech Toward Others

Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. (James 3:9-10)

I’ve certainly cast a few angry insults, wishes for harm or embarrassment and general abuse on my fellow man. Some of them have definitely deserved it. But it’s not about whether or not they deserve it, thank God. Because if they deserve it then I sure do too. But it’s about what my tongue and the way I use it reveals about my heart.

When I worship Jesus as the Creator of all, as the heavenly Father and Savior and then I get in my car and get ticked off with the first person that cuts me off in traffic, I am betraying that my heart doesn’t think much of God’s creation. And if I don’t think of much of His creation, what does that say about what we really think of the Creator? The way we speak to His children reflects our feelings for the Father.

The quickest way to make me your friend is to be kind to my kids. If you say you love me and that you think I’m great and then ignore or belittle my children, there’s no way I’ll believe that you love me. But if you walk into my house and get down on their level and play and laugh with my kids, I probably won’t even need to hear you tell me that you love me because I will already feel so loved because of how you loved on my children. God is a Father and in a similar way, when we worship Him and then treat His children carelessly or cruelly, our worship falls flat in His ears. But when we actively work to encourage, build up and serve His children, He sees our love for Him in action because of how we love His children.

The most beautiful voice in the world could praise God every Sunday, but if that voice speaks harshly of others and abuses them, it is only an obnoxious, resounding gong to the Lord. We cannot truly worship the Father when we are tearing down His children. What comes off our tongue is reflective of what is in our hearts and minds and that is where the change must occur. We must ask God to show us others through His eyes so that we can love them as He does. When we see those around us, not as pests and nuisances or worse, but as beloved beings made in the image of our Redeemer, it will transform our thoughts toward them and as a result, our speech toward them too.

I recently read this and I wanted to share it with you all. I feel it is something we should all be reminded of. Let’s make a conscious effort today and every day to see others through His eyes so that we can love them like He does.

Transform my thought today Lord and as a result my speech toward others as well, for greater is he that is within me, than he that is in the world (1 John 4:4). Amen.

Have a wonderful day in The Lord!

Today’s Reading is James 3