Be Good and Helpful…
Ephesians 4:29
Researching and writing content for Heaven On Wheels has been a joy for Barb and I. Not only do we find new meaning in the word of God, but we often find that certain books of Scripture resonate with us more than others. For me, Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians has been one of those powerful books that seems to talk directly to me with each verse.
Today I was drawn to Ephesians 4:29, since we’ve been exposed to the bad driving habits of many of our fellow humans while on this driving trip:
“Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.”
Ephesians 4:29 NLT
I’ll admit to one of my many human failings — I tend to use “foul and abusive language” more than I should, particularly when driving. It’s one of the things I ask God to help me with each day, and I now find that with the prompting of the Holy Spirit, I’m at least aware when I blast someone with especially potent invective…
I think what most of us who live in the 21st Century should realize is that when we do let loose with a string of “foul or abusive language”, the intended recipient in that other car doesn’t hear a word we say! Perhaps it would be more “good and helpful” to point out to ourselves (and any passengers in our vehicles) the error of that other person’s driving in more constructive terms, then encourage ourselves and others to never do what the other driver just did to stir our emotions!
It’s difficult to be helpful to others in a situation that doesn’t foster face-to-face communication, and much easier to fly off the handle and blast an anonymous soul with some of the worst words and thoughts possible. Our Lord doesn’t want us to do that! With His help, we can find a way to defuse those stress-filled situations. We might not be able to improve another person’s driving skills, but at least we won’t be sinning in a fruitless attempt to throw a curse (literally and figuratively) at that person.
What do you do when faced with a situation that flips the “on” switch and you want to yell at someone? Let us know in the comments!