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Our empty words

by Marilyn Bazett-Jones on May 01, 2017

In this second message of the Impact series, Pastor Troy talked of words that build up and words that tear down. He shared several scriptures aimed at watching the words we say. The one that really got me was Matt 12:36, where Jesus said:

“But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken.”

I really do aim to encourage and respect others with my words. Often these words are full of love. And I tend to avoid conflict until I know there is no other way. But the empty words… which ones are those?

First I thought of times I grumbled. Maybe it was easy to do along with everyone else who was unhappy about something. It doesn’t matter. These are times I had the opportunity to find the positive or be grateful and instead I took the easy way out.

Then I remembered times I spoke too soon but should have reserved comment. I had judged before I heard the rest of the story, not just the part I saw or heard with my own eyes and ears.

There are times I took Satan’s bait and took offense to something that wasn’t worth worrying about.

There are words I’ve spoken when I was too tired or too hurt to wait for a better time to have a thoughtful conversation. There were times I spoke and my tone was not loving, and this brings emptiness.

I painfully recalled times I tried to joke and it came out lame. Did someone get hurt by misunderstanding my careless words? There is no humor worth that.

I recalled times of doubt and saw the ill-chosen words that circled in my head like vultures watching for a place to land. Why did I let them circle? That’s how believing a lie begins.

Then I remembered the lies I let live inside. Something like, “You’re not good enough.” Those were the emptiest words of all. And whether I repeated them or just thought them, the damage was not pretty.

With conviction, I thought of all these empty words and the impact they’re having, rather than the impact that could be happening if my tongue behaved better.  

“Holy Spirit, remove these empty words as far as the east is from the west,” I prayed. “Create a pure heart in me and fill it with your love so that is what flows out from me.”