"But he denied with an oath, 'I do not know the man.' Matthew 26:72 NKJV
We have been looking at words that we speak - sometimes in haste, and the effect they have on others. Let us look a little closer at some more.
Much of the words we speak are just wasted words. Many times we can hear the phrase, 'You're speaking a load of rubbish,' and there may be an element of truth to this. Take for instance the way various regional accents say things. For example, in Sheffield an expression of astonishment may be phrased, 'Well, I'll ga t'foot of ah stairs'. Whereas, in Nottingham, the phrase would be, 'Well, I'll ga t'ta ah'rouse. (our house). When I was a youngster, it wasn't unusual to hear a mother who was exasperated with her child, to shout, 'If ya fall off that wall, our Jimmy, and brek ya leg, don't come running ta me'.Phrases that make us smile but when you consider it, all are wasted words.
I like the one that Woody Allen said, 'I'm not afraid of dying, I just don't want to be there when it happens.' Again, comical but also full of denial. Peter used denial when he was accused of being with Jesus. Jesus had been arrested and Peter was not far away, in a court yard. Jesus had predicted that before the cock crows, Peter would have denied him three times; and it happened that way. Now here he is still denying that he had been with Jesus just to save his own skin. Be honest, wouldn't we have done the same?
We can often deny Jesus, especially at school or in your place of work. It isn't that we out and out deny Jesus, but we can hide the fact that we are a Christian until we have sussed the place and the people out. On the other hand, we can come straight out with our faith and that is usually a conversation stopper. Everyone is different, It's helpful to let people see that there is something different with you, something that draws them to you. If you stand there with the biggest bible you can find and start preaching a lengthy sermon about the sins of the world, it may not go down too well. They'll just be wasted words and you may have ruined your reputation. On the other hand, if you gently allow people to see Jesus in you and, when they ask, answer their questions openly and honestly, the words you speak will not be wasted. If they don't make an impact straightaway, they will certainly be retained for future reference.
Therefore, make it your business to use your words wisely and to make them count. We can't afford to speak wasted words. People need life, and you can offer it.
Copyriight 2021 Grahame Howard
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