Words and Silence
“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.”
Ephesians 4:29, NIV
This passage was drilled into me during my sophomore year in our church youth group. I think there had been a few too many unkind words said during our gatherings that our youth minister decided to make this passage from Ephesians the theme for the year. He had posters made that showed a building and an arrow pointing up (for those of us who were more concrete, visual thinkers). He even had t-shirts made with the building and arrow, so that we always remembered we were called to “build up” the Body of Christ rather than tear it down. And quite amazingly, it worked. The petty gossip and drama soon faded, and we began to care about each other in ways that continue to this very day.
The lesson could be that posters and t-shirts work (and sometimes they do), or we could make the case that youth groups work (which is also true). However, my point is that a community rooted particularly in scripture works. And in this case, we needed to be reminded that our words had power. What we say to one another has an effect that shapes individuals and entire groups–church youth groups included.
It is so easy to speak ill of someone, or even to say one sentence too many when talking about someone who annoys us. We would say that it just “slipped out.” And when I catch myself doing it, I think about those posters and t-shirts that used pictures to describe Ephesians 4:29. I am called to build up rather than tear down my brother or sister in Christ.
There is a quote from Agamemnon, a Greek play written by Aeschylus, that says, “Long ago we learned to keep our mouths shut. Where silence is good health, speech can be fatal.”
This play was written in the fifth century B.C. and yet, it gets to the heart of Paul’s words in Ephesians. We must be diligent with the words we use, knowing that our words will shape others. Because of that, silence may not only be a gift that a few people have, but a skill that all of us can learn, even if it takes a lifetime.
In the spirit of Aeschylus and the Apostle Paul, may you be filled with “good health” as you build up others.
