Title: Purity from the mouth
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up. – Ephesians 4:29a
As a child, I got in serious trouble for telling my father to “shut up!” I learned these words from my older brothers and sisters; they used the phrase often with one another, not even thinking how bad the phrase sounded.
Jesus said, “It is not what goes into the mouth that defiles a man, but what comes out of the mouth, this defiles a man” (Matthew 15:11).
To this day, I don’t say “shut up” to anyone for any reason. Why? There is no goodwill and no kindness in these words. They are ugly, and my father ensured I understood that what comes out of the mouth can be mean, hurtful, or words can be used to encourage and lift others. Ultimately, the battle for purity in the mouth is fought in the heart.
Real men build and lift each other up
