Have you ever had someone eavesdrop on a conversation?

In yesterday’s devotion, I wrote about the importance of controlling our tongue when talking to others. The tongue can heal or destroy. So, we need to be careful. However, it’s not just the people who we are talking to whom we need to consider.

Little Listening Ears
A while back, someone told me about a friend of theirs who had recently made a dramatic change to how they spoke. Their friend, a relatively new father, had told him that he hadn’t realized how much he cussed until his new son’s first word was a cuss word. He said he heard his son say a certain word and he was taken ashamed. He realized he needed to change his language right then.

Most parents have probably experienced something like that. Maybe it’s a cuss word. Maybe it’s the way they speak to someone. Kids are amazing mirrors of language and behavior.

Watch What You Say
In Ephesians 4:29 we are warned about how we speak. Unwholesome talk is a bit vague, but I think that’s the point. If it said, “no cuss words,” we would feel free to make crude jokes or say something demeaning. By keeping it vague it covers a variety of inappropriate or unhelpful speech.

The passage refers to “those who listen.” This can, of course, refer to the people you are speaking to, but it can also refer to others who you don’t even realize are listening. We never know the effect we will have on those who overhear what we say. Here, again, the words can be healing or damaging to those people as well.

Not So Little Listening Ears
It’s not just kids who we need to think about. The world is listening. People who don’t know Jesus are listening. People who are new to the faith are listening. People who are hurt or struggling are listening.

We have an opportunity to both speak and demonstrate the love of Christ into their lives even without even speaking directly to them. When they hear words of encouragement or forgiveness or love, they see (or hear) Jesus.

Heavenly Father,

Guide my conversations that they would be uplifting, not only to the people I am speaking to, but anyone around who may overhear.

Amen.