My tongue is, without a doubt, my own worst enemy.

I yell too often at my children.  Granted…it’s usually after they have ignored me five times, but still…there has to be another way. 

I can be overly harsh with my husband.  Sometimes, I can convince myself that it is justified…however, rotten talk is rotten talk and Scripture doesn’t leave a whole lot of room for personal justification.

I can find myself in negative conversations…conversations that do not uplift and encourage me or the person I am with…I always feel convicted later that I didn’t change the subject…that the words of my mouth (Psalm 19:14) were not pleasing to the Lord. 

As I read this verse this morning, I was really encouraged to make a change.

No rotten talk should come from your mouth, but only what is good for the building up of someone in need, in order to give grace to those who hear.  — Ephesians 4:29

The thing is…it is easy to look over this verse…to think…I don’t curse…I don’t tell dirty jokes…etc.  But rotten talk is more than that. 

Are the words I’m using building up someone?  Am I encouraging someone?  Am I showing grace to someone?  If not…it is rotten talk.

The words from the mouth of a wise man are gracious…. –Ecclesiastes 10:12