But I Said It All In Fun...

There is something that I have begun to notice in the last year or so, and am starting to take note of more and more. This is something that I need to correct in my life, but then it may need correction in yours as well, so read on. It's this thing of people hurting each other with their words, all in the name of a little bit of fun. What I mean is, we say hurtful things to others, in such a way that we mean to be playful, but in reality ends up hurting the other person, even though they refuse to show it.

Of course when we do this, we say, "Oh, I didn't mean anything by that, I'm just having a bit of fun." And that may in fact be true, but what does it say about our character as Christians? I mean, didn't Jesus say that people would know that we are His disciples because we have love one to another? (John 13:35)

I have made the statement for years, that if I don't hassle you, then it means that I don't like you. I'm beginning to re-think that now. I mean, could I have been doing damage all these years, thinking that it is all in jest, and that has somehow caused people more harm, and inadvertently I have been helping the enemy to hinder my brothers and sisters in Christ?

Now, please understand me here, I'm not trying to place a list of do's and don'ts in front of you, that is not how the grace of God works. But take just a minute and think about it, have your words been full of grace to those that hear them? Or have they been more condescending, snarky and judgmental?

As I read in Ephesians 4 this morning I came across this passage of Scripture. Let's look at it in the Amplified Translation:

²⁹Let no foul or polluting language, nor evil word nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth, but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it.

³⁰And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God [do not offend or vex or sadden Him], by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption (of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequences of sin).

³¹Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil-speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will, or baseness of any kind).

³²And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you.

This is stout language to us isn't it? I mean it seems pretty clear to me here that the Holy Spirit is showing us something that is important, it is important enough that He mentions the use of our words several times. In verse 27 of that passage, it also says,

27 Leave no [such] room or foothold for the devil [give no opportunity to him].

We are told not to give a foothold for the devil to use, to give him no opportunity to either a) use your words against you or b) to use your words against others. If we say something in a joking manner, even "IF" we are truly joking, the enemy can take the words that we speak and twist them in the hearing of the person that hears them into something else. You know this to be true, because we've all had that happen to us at one time or another in our lives.

I am seeing today that it is vital not only what we say to others, but how we say things to them as well. I am going to begin to ask myself, "Self, how would you feel if someone said that to you?" If I don't like the answer, then I'll change what I'll say. This may mean that you will not hear me say as much, but then a fool is counted as a wise man when he holds his tongue. (Proverbs 17:28)

Well, there's that. Let's get 'em up folks and go out and be a blessing for the Kingdom today!