Constructive Words

Constructive Words

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Angry reactions from others can notify you that your destructive words need to be changed to constructive words. Ephesians 4:29 has pierced my conscience many times: "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. The word "unwholesome refers to something rotten or decaying, such as rotten fish. You are not to allow any rotten words to proceed out of your mouth, but only those words that build up a person word by word or brick by brick into a beautiful Christ like structure.

I once asked a member of an audience to help me make this very point. I took four small cardboard brick-sized boxes, positioned them on a chair next to us and made a square. Then I asked him to stand next to me and pick up each "brick one at a time and toss them across the room to an empty chair about ten feet away. His goal was to reproduce the same square configuration on the seat of the distant chair. He could not go over and place them on the chair, he had to stand next to me and throw them across the room. Something became immediately apparent. Thrown bricks do not work as well as hand-placed bricks! Your well-placed words will be received by the listener "like apples of gold in settings of silver (Prov. 25:11). But your harsh words will eat away inside and the rottenness will come out as anger, destroying any hope of peace at home (Eph. 6:4). Careless words, like bricks, never produce a godly design.

Anger can reveal other kinds of words that need to be changed in order to experience Gods peace in your home. Griping should be changed to appropriate appreciation (Phil 2:14). Unconstructive criticism should be replaced by constructive criticism balanced with praise (I Cor. 11:1, 17). Critical words can eat away any meaningful relationship. Criticism is one of the four most destructive anger-causing elements leading to divorce. The other three elements are defensiveness, contempt, and withdrawal.

Harsh words also stir up anger. By contrast, gentle words appropriately placed, turn away wrath (Prov. 15:1). How do we know gentle words are Gods words of choice? We know because gentleness is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23). It is the gentle answer that greatly reduces anger in a relationship. It brings Gods peace to your home. But harsh words are usually the result of anger.

An angry response from others, as wrong as it is, can reveal the need in you to change your words and thus do your part to reduce the anger. The presence of anger can effectively reveal a need to make a major change in your choices and uses of words. It can also reveal something that can be equally hurtful - your actions.


About the Author:
www.drchucklynch.com/go/peace



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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