The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Ephesians 4:25-32, “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, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

32 Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

If there were ever words that needed to be heeded, these words of Holy Scripture are the ones! More trouble is aroused; more difficulties are produced by words than by any other aspect of all human nature.

Don’t say that! That’s not going to solve the problem! Your mouth is going to get you into trouble! How many times have you heard a parent, a grandparent, a teacher, or a close friend warn you against saying something you had determined to say? Relax, you’re not the first to be told those things. They’ve been repeated for centuries! At the same time, they’ve been ignored and have resulted in confrontations of various sorts, even murders.

The Apostle Paul doesn’t commence his letters with such particular warnings, but he knows human nature; thus, such warnings are clearly necessary. Professional athletes have been expelled from games for arguing with umpires or coaches. Employees have been dismissed from employment for saying the wrong thing to the wrong person too many times. This is nothing new. Unfortunately, it has become a way of life for too many. No one (to my knowledge, anyway) has ever been dismissed from anywhere for anything that did not involve confrontation through inappropriate language.

Find the word that is “good for edification according to the need of the moment,” Paul says. Learn kindness toward others, and learn forgiveness for whatever someone does to you. You’ll both be better off in the long run. What’s more, you’ll be forgiven by the LORD!

Heartily in Christ,

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

United States of America

“We will never know that Christ is all we need, until He becomes all that we have.” –Corrie ten Boom