Chaplain’s Corner – Foolish Talk
So then, be very careful how you live. Don’t live like foolish people but like wise people. Make the most of your opportunities because these are evil days. So don’t be foolish, but understand what the Lord wants. (Ephesians 5:15-17 GW).
At the Thursday morning Bible study awhile back, we read through Ephesians 5 and had a great discussion (I recommend this gathering to anyone who can attend). We see in this passage that we are told to live like wise people and to not be foolish. Beginning with the Chaplain’s Corner on January 28, we had five weeks of devotions devoted to wisdom. Now we see another reference to wisdom in a letter written by Paul to the church as Ephesus. This letter contains so many clear and practical lessons on how to grow in our Christian walk. For example, Ephesians 5:3-4 (GW) advises:
“Don’t let sexual sin, perversion of any kind, or greed even be mentioned among you. This is not appropriate behavior for God’s holy people. It’s not right that dirty stories, foolish talk, or obscene jokes should be mentioned among you either. Instead, give thanks to God.”
Most of that passage seems to be very clear; however, I did wonder about “foolish talk.” What exactly does that mean? It’s ranks right there with dirty stories and obscene jokes as “what not to say” if we want to be wise rather than foolish.
Webster’s Dictionary defines “foolish” as “having or showing a lack of good sense, judgment, or discretion.” The Christian website Got Questions? defines it similarly: “Foolishness is the result of a person misusing the intelligence God has given him.”
That’s still a bit general. What are some specifics? If we include Ephesians chapter 4, we can begin to develop a list of specific things that would be considered “foolish talk.” For example:
- Lying. Instead: “So then, get rid of lies. Speak the truth to each other, because we are all members of the same body” (Ephesians 4:25).
- Unwholesome or hurtful talk. Instead: “Don’t say anything that would hurt another person. Instead, speak only what is good so that you can give help wherever it is needed. That way, what you say will help those who hear you” (Ephesians 4:29).
- Bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander. Instead: “Get rid of your bitterness, hot tempers, anger, loud quarreling, cursing, and hatred. Be kind to each other, sympathetic, forgiving each other as God has forgiven you through Christ. Ephesians 4:31-32).
- Obsenity, foolish talk, coarse joking. Instead: “It’s not right that dirty stories, foolish talk, or obscene jokes should be mentioned among you either. Instead, give thanks to God” (Ephesians 5:4).
This is not a conclusive list of what is considered foolish talk. Probably the best way to determine what is foolish talk is to consider again what is wise talk, and to make it our goal to say nothing unless it is:
- Truthful (Ephesians 4:25), and
- Good and Helpful (Ephesians 4:29), and
- Kind, sympathetic, and forgiving (Ephesians 4:31-32), and
- Thankful (Ephesians 5:4).
My sweet Mama was fond of saying, “If you can’t say something nice, then just don’t say anything at all.” She was right. If our words (including our tone and nonverbal speech) are not truthful, good, helpful, kind, sympathetic, forgiving, and/or thankful , then they are better not spoken.
In Christ, Judy
judycline 