Life Application on "You are created to give grace with your words" (Ephesians 4:25-29)

• Recapture

This past week, we explore what it means to put off and put on in regard to words we speak. The idea of giving grace with words comes from Ephesians 4:29. Paul tells us to put off unwholesome, rotten talk that’s good for nothing. He calls us to put on talk that builds up others who listen to us in order to benefit them. To benefit someone with our words means to give grace or impart grace to that person with what we say.

We don’t normally think of words that we speak possessing this kind of power to grace others as well as power to spoil and damage relationship.

Three reasons to put on giving grace with our words are:

1. because we are created to belong to each other as members of one body, namely Jesus Christ (Ephesians 4:25).
2. because we are created to yield good fruit by rejecting rotten words (Luke 6:43, Ephesians 4:29).
3. because we are created to give grace with our words (Ephesians 4:29).

And, three practical ways to give grace with our words are:

1. speaking truthfully (Ephesians 4:25)
2. rejecting rotten words (Ephesians 4:29)
3. building others up (Ephesians 4:29)

• Reflect & apply

1. Discuss the times when you felt touched by God after talking to someone… How did this person model for you what it means to give grace with words?
2. What do you need to work on in the way you speak to others in order to embrace and welcome your identity in Christ to give grace to others with your words?

• Pray

Ask God to transform your words at home, at work, at school, at play, at church into grace giving words.