"Watch Your Language!"

Years ago I had a co-worker who regularly swore on the job, sometimes when a client was present. The supervisor called him out on several occasions by saying, “Watch your language!” He wasn’t around very long and I’ve sometimes wondered if his loose tongue got him fired.

We may fall into the trap of thinking that the only way in which we need to watch our language is to avoid using “four letter words.” But it goes a lot further than that. While I was watching a national news broadcast some time ago a member of Congress spoke uncivilly and (according to some commentators) falsely about a colleague. But such speech is protected by congressional rules so there’s no legal accountability.

During my pastoral years a church member prefaced her remarks at a congregational meeting by stating she didn’t want a response (translation: she didn’t want to be answerable for her words). When a godly lady pointed out the scriptural inconsistency of what had been said the offender angrily said she didn’t want to hear Scripture, an action which cost her the ministry position she’d guarded for some time. It also may have been the first time in her life she’d been held accountable for her conduct.

Without accountability doors are open to falsehoods, innuendo, name-calling, and other forms of irresponsible and thoughtless speech. Jesus’ warning is clear: “…(All) will have to give an account…for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36=37). Ten centuries earlier David had seen the need to watch his language when he prayed, “Set a guard over my mouth, O Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm141:3). As we echo his prayer 3000 years later may we also heed Paul’s directive in Colossians 4:6: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt….” In other words, how we speak is as important as what we say (“…{speak} the truth in love….”—Ephesians 4:15). THAT’S what watching our language is all about. How are you and I doing with it?

 

Blessings!

Jim McMillan