Enjoy Life, Enjoy God

GRACE AND GRACIOUS

April 3, 2009

 One of the joys of the gospel is the grace given us through faith in Christ. Yet with grace received also comes, perhaps, an equal an opposite reaction, or responsibility.

Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious, but fools are consumed by their own lips.
At the beginning their words are folly; at the end they are wicked madness--and fools multiply words.
- Ecclesiastes 10:12-14 TNIV

As a somewhat un-reformed blabbermouth, some wisdom sayings hit me more than others. Yes, this speaks about the profusion of words, but I suggest something even more profound. Yes, the quantity of words is a caution, but more important are the tone, or tenor of the words. Gracious words--here lies much wisdom. Caustic, critical words--it seems to be the sign of the times. Not only is it foolish, but Ecclesiastes says it is wicked.

Exercise care not only in the quantity of words, but in their character. For people who have received the grace of Christ, it only makes sense that our words speak that same graciousness.
Joyfully,

Dale Patterson