Isaiah - Verse By Verse | Walking through Ephesians

Walking through Ephesians - Day 102

versebyverse | February 26, 2008 18:04

Thought: To me, the Scriptures clearly offer solutions to all our various problems, including how to counteract a "foul mouth."

Question: Is my speech characterized by thankfulness?

Scripture: Ephesians 5:4 (NIV): "Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving."

Here is more contrast between the old man and the new man: obscenity, foolish talk and coarse joking oppose speech laden with thankfulness. And, of course, the tongue is a revealer of a person's attitude. Am I seeing much to be thankful for, or am I always dissatisfied and complaining? How is it that obscenity, foolish talk and dirty jokes oppose thankfulness? People whose speech is bad are people who either complain against the very Creator of the world for, in their opinion, making it as broken as it is, or who try to create a false "world" of their own talking, or who choose to appeal to baser instincts of the flesh, making jokes that twist God's goodness. To me, all these reactions are based in ungratefulness. Ungrateful people blame God for all the trouble around them. Ungrateful people try to foolishly talk up unreality or fantasy because they don't see the goodness of God. Ungrateful people stay rooted in lust and make light of God's good inventions of sexuality and the human body. They do not see the beauty or benevolance of God. They are not thankful for what they have, but take all for granted and insult the very Divine hand that gave them life and tongues for speaking.

God's holy people have left the old man of ungratefulness behind. They have put on the new man of Christ Who is always thanking and praising God. Thankfulness will effectively neutralize an obscene mouth, a foolish mouth and a jesting, dirty mouth. And thankfulness ought to characterize a good Christian, not only in speech, but also in attitude. Thus the united brothers of faith will not have among them the symptoms of an ungrateful spirit--it is "out of place."

Prayer: Dear Father, help me to displace potential obscenities, foolish talk and dirty jokes with praise and thanks to You, always! Amen.