The Ephesians 4:29 challenge.

Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. - Eph 4:29

Due to some specific circumstances in my life, God is reminding me of the significance and importance of Eph 4:29. And, He has not stopped merely at the surface level (i.e. say good, uplifting things) but has pressed on me that I must not only adopt grace filled speech, but a grace filled heart.

The more I sit under the weight of a verse like this, the more I realize my spiritual vision is way too myopic. I see what I want to see and don't see what I don't want to see. And the words that proceed from my heart often reflect not the heart of Christ, but the stunted, sinful, self-seeking heart of John. If living out Eph 4:29, or the myriad of other grace filled commands of God, is to become a priority in my life, something has got to change.

One thing is clear, if I am to be a speaker of grace or, to raise the bar, a modeler of grace, then the grace of which I speak and Grace-Giver of whom I model must be foremost in my heart and mind. Whatever the topic that is causing the challenge, my vision must return to Christ and His gospel. That is centerpiece of grace. Christ's death and resurrection, His reaching out and rescuing me, His breathing life into me while absorbing the Father's just wrath toward me must always consume me. Only then can I speak grace. Only then can I model grace.

But another thing is also clear, but I think easily forgotten. It is the reality that believers are always in community. We in the West (America in particular) have come to accept the cultural norm that church is something external. Most of us realize that the church isn't a building, but I would dare to say most of us view the church as something we join, an organization with officers and by-laws, etc. And while a local church needs organizational structures like these, this is not the church. We are the church.

Since we who profess Jesus as Lord are the church, we each have a duty to each other. We must (yes must) speak grace to each other. Not simply speak graciously to each other. Most people can do that. No, the Bible is clear, we who are the church must care for one another in a way that is simply unattainable except by the power of the Holy Spirit. If we try to muscle it, we will fail. But, if we strive in the power that God himself provides, we will bring glory to the Father, we will exalt the Son, and we will rely on the Spirit. Through this we will strengthen the church, both the individuals we are interacting with and the larger body as a whole.And by this we will bring grace to those with whom we interact.

As I write this, I am back to where I started. The heartbeat of Eph 4:29 is the heartbeat of Christ. It is a daunting call to give our lives and our pride and our preferences for the glory of the One who gave His life for ours. And, as I sit here writing this, it is clear to me that the biggest thing keeping me from going "all in" is that there is still too much John and not enough Jesus in my words and in my thoughts and in my heart.

May God change that today.

To God Alone be the Glory