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This Interruption is part of the Grant and Barbara now in Scotland adventure series!
Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29).
HHHHMMMHHM . . . the Bible clearly says that our conversations shouldn’t include unwholesome words but only words that edify and give grace.
My wife and I love to travel. But we experience difficult moments while driving, especially if we get lost. My “go-to” challenge to my wife is that she doesn’t pay enough attention to Google® Maps.
Her “go-to” response to my challenge always contains words that edify and give grace!!!!???
Now I ask for your prayers and call on all intercessors, as Grant and Barbara need special dispensation because yesterday, we rented a car to drive through northern Scotland. Most of you know that in Scotland, they drive on the wrong side of the road.
When driving in Scotland, you will hear this phrase—to the left, you dumb American! This encouragement is typically followed by words that are neither edifying nor grace-filled but could qualify as unwholesome.
Three tips we all need to follow:
- Avoid unwholesome words.
The Greek word for “unwholesome” means “over-ripe or rotten.” Usually, these over-ripe words are the first words spoken in a conflict. They flow according to rottenness in our souls, just waiting for an opportunity to spew forth.
This is why I memorized Ephesians 4:29 several years ago. I want my initial-response words to calm down and not inflame a situation.
- Use words that edify.
The Greek word for “edify” means “build the house.”
What an image! Our words build the relational house in which we abide. Some houses are angry, others bitter, but all of us want to live in a house of edification.
I go over Ephesians 4:29 from memory before I get out of bed in the morning. If I focus on the correct building materials at the beginning of each day, I tend to construct a house of peace.
- Speak words of grace.
Grace is giving a gift to others that they don’t deserve.
When we are wronged, when someone makes a mistake—especially a spouse or a child—our words set a precedent of forgiveness. Grace then comes back to us when we wrong someone or make a mistake.
I admit my grace-giving slips a lot, and I review Ephesians 4:29 several times each day.
Not only do they drive on the wrong side of the road in Scotland, but the steering wheel is also on the wrong side of the car. I’ve read that in Medieval times, knights on horses were mostly right-handed, so riding on the left provided the opportunity to quickly draw and fight with their swords.
This sums up our words—do we fight, or do we communicate?
I’m enjoying my time with my wife in Scotland and driving on the wrong side of the road in a car with a steering wheel on the wrong side too.
My wife is paying proper attention to Google® Maps! I also have Ephesians 4:29 as a backup.