What Should I Say?

What will we say when we don't know what to say? How will it be framed.

"Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear." - Ephesians 4:28-29 ESV

I don't want to steal from the situation. No. I did that for years. How will my words be words that add and not steal? Grace is how. Grace is not corrupt.

Here is the verse in context...

"But that is not the way you learned Christ! - assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." - Ephesians 4:20-32 ESV

"And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." - James 3:18 ESV

A harvest of righteousness is reaped by the winner of souls. The peacemaker is making peace by winning the soul with grace.

"Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you." - 2 Corinthians 13:11 KJV

"Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all." - Romans 12:17-18 ESV

Is it possible to have words that promote peace? Not always. But if there is a way grace wants to find it because God has made His peace with man. The cross was God's answer to sin. That conversation is closed.

"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace," - Ephesians 2:13-15 ESV

Yes. We stand close to God and grace goes out of it's way to break down the barrier and have words that draw someone else close to God also.

Oh God... give us words. We need silver tongues. We want to have nourishing words. Those are the words You have for us. That is what we want to have in our outer voice and our inner one as well.

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