A thought by Mark Batterson from his book, Whisper: How to Hear the Voice of God (p. 137). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)
There are some people around us who always seem to have something to say, whether it is good or bad.
Mark says, “So here’s a good rule of thumb: consider the source. An insult from a fool might be a compliment, and a compliment from a fool might be an insult. Either way, you have to consider the character of the person saying it.”
He goes on, “In my experience, God speaks to us through friends more frequently than strangers. I’m not saying God can’t use someone you don’t know to say something you need to hear. He most certainly can, and He most certainly has in my life. But speaking the truth in love is an earned right, and it’s the by-product of relationship. The stronger the relationship, the more weight those words carry.”
He then says, “I know far too many people who have been hurt by careless words. That doesn’t mean we tune out everybody and stop listening. It just means we better be more discerning. In the words of the apostle Paul, ‘Weigh carefully what is said.’ (1 Corinthians 14:29) Before you buy what someone is selling, make sure it passes through the filter of Scripture. And don’t just consider the person’s words; consider his or her character when giving weight to the words.”
And the same is true of us. We must be careful of the careless words we throw around.
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