2 Timothy 2:16-17 “Avoid profane chatter for it will lead people into more and more impiety, and their talk will spread like gangrene...”

The picture this paints in my mind is powerful and not pleasant at all.  Gangrene is the dying of our bodily tissue and if not stopped it will kill us.  Paul pulls no punches, as usual, in this text.  I stop to think about what my chatter consists of when I am having coffee with friends, sitting and visiting after church or catching up at the mailbox.  Do I fall into the trap of profane or ungodly chatter?  Do I gossip or whisper about others behind their backs or say things that would cause others to judge without knowledge?  Do my words cut people down or build them up?  I hear the words in Psalm 19:14 echoing in my heart...”let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”  As we prepare to dive into another day let these verses in 2 Timothy call us to pause before we speak.  Let our words be words of love, healing, building up, restoration and encouragement.  Let our words be words of truth.  In this way we can spread life and banish death.

Lord,

Please forgive any words I have spoken that have spread lies or death to others.  Bring healing to our hearts and souls so that we are restored in you once more.  Guide our thoughts and words so that we speak only life giving words and in this, we spread your truth and love around the world.  Through Jesus, our rock and redeemer we pray.  Amen.