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Ephesians 4:29

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.
(NIV)
God has given us words and language. This speech that was given to us has been affected by the fall of man. Now our speech can be "unwholesome" which can also be translated as corrupt or bad. As a child of God, who is walking in His way, we are to put that corrupt speech off and put on speech that is edifying, building up.

In an age that is filled with sarcasm and blunt humor, it is almost expected that we are to be thick-skinned. Even amongst those in the house of God, that element of our culture has infiltrated into our brains so much that I have even known people that believed that to be a good Christian, you should be able to take a joke.

This is not God's way.

Maybe in this day and age we need to be thick-skinned, but we should never require someone else to have that need for thick skin when they are around us. Our words should be constantly building others up. Just like those first creative words that brought all things into existence, we should follow after our Father, the Father of words and speech, and let our words build up and be creative, instead of destructive.
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