“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
Ephesians 4:29
Throughout 2022, Cord of 3 has focused our attention on establishing a Battle Plan for the Family. We have looked at the ways the world, the flesh, and the devil attack our marriages, our children, our homes, and we have looked at how we, as Christian families, can fight the battle against these attacks. This month, we are examining one more attack that comes close to home with all of us. The attack we are going to focus on in this article is the battle we have with our words and communication. Ephesians 4:29 gives us the command that we are to not speak words that are corrupt but rather speak words that edify and minister to others. Anyone who has been at the receiving end of corrupt communication knows that this type of communication destroys the relationship, separating good friends. Likewise, anyone who has experienced communication that edifies, knows that this makes the relationship bond even stronger. Our battle plan for our homes is to speak words that edify as well as to labor with ourselves so that we don’t speak with words nor have an attitude that destroys the relationship with those we love most.
What is corrupt communication? The word corrupt carries with it the idea that your words AND your attitude are rotten. They are words that tear down, condescend, belittle, slander, or hurt the hearers. There is an old children’s riddle that is often quoted which states, “sticks and stones may break my bones by names will never hurt me.” This statement is far from the truth. Name-calling, insults, sarcasm, flattery, and gossip are all words that hurt and destroy the relationships among friends, among brothers and sisters in Christ. As people, we would not eat food that is rotten. It would not be healthy for us to eat rotten food. We would never serve anyone, especially those closest to us, rotten food because we know the sickness that it would cause. However, we are adept in and often without care that we are serving rotten and corrupt words that affect the hearts of our family.
On the contrary, we can serve to our family and friends words that edify. These are words that build up, strengthen, and lift one another up. When someone speaks with words that edify, you leave that conversation feeling empowered and full. These are words that encourage, words of kindness, words that compliment but most importantly, these are words of truth. As Paul so eloquently states, these are words that “minister grace unto the hearers.” Words and attitudes that are full of grace bring joy and healing to every relationship. Words can resolve problems, heal old wounds, and speak wisdom. We are told in Nehemiah to fight for our marriages, our sons and daughters, for our homes. One of the best ways we can fight for them is by monitoring the way we speak to them.
In Colossians 4:6, God’s Word tells us “Let your speech [be] alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” Speech, words, and attitudes that are seasoned with grace bring joy and peace.
This month, we want to encourage you to fight a good Battle for your families by speaking words that edify and stop any patterns of communication that bring corruption.
• Clay Gill is the Executive Director at Cord of Three. He is also a licensed professional counselor.
