Tone Check, from Mom

I haven't done a Mom entry for a while and I felt like it was time.  Today's message is about our tone of voice.  Oh my gosh, I can hear her voice now, "It's not what you said but how you said it!"  I heard it often. lol  I tend to have a less than gentle way of speaking some times.  😬

Colossians 4:2-6 2 Devote yourselves to prayer with an alert mind and a thankful heart. 3 Pray for us, too, that God will give us many opportunities to speak about his mysterious plan concerning Christ. That is why I am here in chains. 4 Pray that I will proclaim this message as clearly as I should.  5 Live wisely among those who are not believers, and make the most of every opportunity. 6 Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.

How many times have I reacted harshly instead of listening first?  There are spell check and grammar check programs, why not "tone check?"  As believers we need to check our speech, intonation, body language, etc.  Our speech should be graceful, reflecting the beauty of our Savior.  Talking with unbelievers as well as believers with the right one is vital to our witness.  

From me.

Wow   As always when I think of my speech I get convicted.  I know I let my frustration and impatience bleed through to my words and my body language.  I know I am better than I used to be, but I still struggle in this area...A LOT   The book of Proverbs is filled with admonitions and instructions on how our speech should sound.  I thank God that He corrects me on this and I thank Him even more that He is working with me to change me, especially with those closest to me.  It's always those people that can trigger our "speech attitudes" quickest and easiest.  

Lord, forgive me for failing so often in this area.  Give me the gentle spirit You speak about in Your Word...and let that spirit of gentleness change and filter my speech.  Fill our hearts with such a love for others that we treat them with the kindness You show us.  It's in Jesus Name I pray.  Amen

1 Peter 3: 3-4 3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty of fancy hairstyles, expensive jewelry, or beautiful clothes. 4 You should clothe yourselves instead with the beauty that comes from within, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is so precious to God.

Galatians 5:22-23 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.