It is always important to watch one’s words. As you all know, the tongue can bring life and death. It is always beneficial to take time to chose the words you will speak. You should try to edify (build up) others, not tear them down or be judgmental. Leave the judging to God. And since we all are imperfect, do not point out the spec in another’s eye when you may have a beam in your own. You will find that most times you get better results communicating with someone when you are more respectful and empathetic.
We should utilize our listening skills more. after all, God did give us two ears to hear and only one mouth to speak. Also, you should put yourself in another’s shoes and observe how you are coming across. It just may not be as you think. One of the biggest challenges for man is to be able to look at himself in the mirror and look objectively at himself. The way one perceives oneself may be completely different than others see him. His reality may be very distorted and unrealistic.
So, as a check, keep a good friend or family member close who loves you enough to be free to tell you the truth, being completely honest with you. This can be done if one chooses to use non-abrasive words and says things in love.
Once someone said in a sermon something I’ll never forget. He said as we grow in grace and become closer to God (who is the light), we can see more imperfections and shortcomings we may have. What a powerful revelation, and it makes perfect sense. God is both light and love, so when we approach Him, naturally we are going to see our imperfections and shortcomings more clearly. We just have to have the courage to recognize and acknowledge them. We should feel compelled to clean up our act if we seriously intend to become more Christ-like.
And after all, Christ is our standard-bearer. level, and example. And through and by him is how we are God’s righteousness (in Christ). Praise God the Father for putting Jesus Christ at the heart of His grace. For it is through Jesus that we have everything.
So, remember, your words lead to habits, you develop your character, and your character ultimately determines your destiny. A famous poet once said, “People may not always remember what you said, but they will always remember how you made them feel. And also remember, when you put words out there in the universe, you can’t take them back. You know that saying, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” But if you make an error and say something you shouldn’t have, don’t just say “I’m sorry,” but instead repent with sincerity. Because of what Jesus did for us, if we make a mistake, we can get up, dust ourselves off, make a commitment to change our ways (repent), and move on.
So, I pray that you meditate on these things. Hopefully, they will help you to stay in right standing with God. If you are lead, let me know if this was beneficial to you.