If You Don’t Have Anything Nice to Say…

During my devotion today, I was completing this week’s lesson for Sunday School. It speaks of how to defeat discouragement in our jobs, marriages, friendships, churches, etc. I found a specific part of the lesson very interesting, as it caused me to look at a familiar piece of Scripture in a different light (and lit up some conviction in my heart as well.)
Joshua was leading the Israelites in the takeover of the city of Jericho. God told them to walk around the city once a day for six days, and then on the seventh day they were to march around the city seven times. Joshua gave these instructions:
Joshua 6:10
Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, “You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, ‘Shout!’ Then you shall shout.”

The writer of this lesson points out that Joshua did not want the Israelites talking to one another, because one critic can discourage a whole group. All it takes is one person to say “Why are we walking around the city like this. This is crazy!” and the negative spirit would spread like wildfire. Galatians 6:7 teaches us that whatever a man sows, he will also reap. I don’t know about you, but I do not want to be reaping discouragement, and I certainly don’t want to spread it among family, friends, or within the church body. Sometimes I fail to follow the lesson learned and I open my mouth to speak things to others that I should be keeping to myself. God pointed out to me that I did this very thing just yesterday. I am one of those people who shares what’s on her mind without a whole lot of restraint. That can be very damaging if it’s not done in a constructive manner. (Just ask my husband!) To complain simply to be complaining might make me “feel better,” but it could also be spreading a negative spirit. It’s like the old saying “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” I can choose to use my words for good or for evil, and I pray that I hold on to what God has revealed to me and choose to use my words for good…always.