By Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. –Ephesians 4:29
This verse is our 183rd memory verse as a family since we began our fighter verse program. Because of the word but and only, this text seems to suggest that all of our speech is either building up someone else’s life structure, or tearing it down. And we are here told that everything coming out of our mouth is only meant to build up and not tear down.
Do you think of your words as a construction site? On a construction site, there is typically a demolition crew that comes first to tear down whatever structure may have been there previously. After the demo crew is done, the construction crew arrives to begin the process of putting together a structure for a family or a business to dwell in. Which crew are you a part of?
Our words are always to build up and give grace, not tear down and corrupt. What amazing power is contained in the tongue!
Leading Family Devotions 