We Need More Duct Tape

Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person. (Col. 4:6, NASB)

There's a song many of us sung as children in church. The third verse went like this:

"Oh, be careful little mouth, what you say, Oh, be careful little mouth, what you say, For the Father up above, Is looking down in love, So be careful little mouth what you say."
This was and is a kid's song, but the principle that is presented in this song is not merely one for children. 

Paul stated that our speech should be with grace "as though seasoned with salt". We often seemed to be focused more on the salt part of Paul's statement than the grace part. Social media is a fairly new dynamic that many are still struggling with. There seems to be an air of anonymity when we stare at our electronic devices that allows us to say things that we would never say in person to another individual or to a group of individuals. We see Christians calling each other heretics and false prophets because we disagree, when sometimes the disagreement is on semantics rather than doctrine.  Technology affords us the opportunity to gossip, backbite, and devour one another without actually speaking one word. Not only this, but both the Christian world and the lost are both watching us chew each other up. I realize that much can be lost and misconstrued due to the non-verbal communication that social media relies upon. But let's face it folks, just because it crosses our minds does not mean that it should cross our lips. 

I'm not advocating for silence in the face of sin and darkness. I'm suggesting that too many of us are actually destroying our Christian witness in our passionate attempts to  preserve it. Paul encouraged Timothy to be an example to others in his speech.  (1 Tim. 4:12, NASB) We need to teach and lead by our actions as well as our speech. Remember Jesus' words, "for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart." (Lk. 6:45, NASB) The things that we say (or post) reveal what is in our heart. 

Sometimes, I think we just need more duct tape!