The Apostle Paul gave the Colossian believers some good advice when he told them, now that they’d met Jesus, “…you must also put away all the following: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and filthy language from your mouth (Col. 3:8).” Humans are emotional beings. We’re going to get angry; it’s an honest emotion. But elsewhere, in Ephesians, Paul advised, “Be angry and do not sin (Eph. 4:26).” A Christian’s mouth should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can give us the strength to hold our tongue when necessary and guide us to the right words when it’s time to speak. Remember yesterday’s hymn? One of the lines says, “I have ceased from my wandering and going astray since Jesus came into my heart.” Jesus in our hearts makes a difference. Do others see the difference in us? Now and then it’s good for us to take a spiritual inventory and evaluate how many of the things we say/post/think are classified as praising vs. cursing. If we find things heavy on the “cursing” side, ask the Holy Spirit for wisdom to control our tongue. As James says, he who asks for wisdom will receive it!
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