Ephesians 4:29
"Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers."
I usually think of "corrupt word" being curse words or vulgur words. I looked up 'corrupt' in the dictionary and one of the definitions was 'putrid'. I looked up 'putrid' and it said "rotten or decaying; very unpleasant".
Hmmm...as a mother to young children, I ask myself, do I speak corruptly to my children? When they make a huge mess, when they disobey, when they break something, do I speak rotten words to them? Am I unpleasant? Do I tend to lose my patience?
The answer, ashamed as I am, is yes. Not all the time, but more often than not, I lose my temper. I say things to them that don't lift their spirits and edify them. By the way, I looked up 'edify' and it said "to instruct or improve morally". Am I improving my kids morally by the words that proceed out of my mouth? I sit here, ashamed and embarassed before God. The beautiful children He has blessed and entrusted me with should not be spoken to rottenly. As I ask His forgiveness, I also ask for His help.
We need to watch our words, our attitudes, our pleasantness. Our children observe everything we do and say, and everything we don't say. Although we do need to discipline when necessary, we also need to disciple on a more consistant, daily basis. We need to lift up our children, encourage them, and improve them morally! (I just love that definition!!)
I am putting off all rottenness, decay, corruption. Whoo, do I feel better!
