CONCERT OF PRAYER

Pray Week 691

“Bad Mouth”

Nehemiah 4:1-3 (ESV) Now when Sanballat heard that we were building the wall, he was angry and greatly enraged, and he jeered at the Jews. And he said in the presence of his brothers and of the army of Samaria, “What are these feeble Jews doing? Will they restore it for themselves? Will they sacrifice? Will they finish up in a day? Will they revive the stones out of the heaps of rubbish, and burned ones at that?” Tobiah the Ammonite was beside him, and he said, “Yes, what they are building—if a fox goes up on it he will break down their stone wall!”
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The terms: smack talk, trash talk, bad-mouthing, all mean pretty much the same thing. It is a testimony about our society when you can find ‘A Beginner’s Guide to Smack Talk’ published on the internet. Rude, crude and obscene is described as one of the easiest and most common styles because ‘…you’ve probably been doing it since 3rd grade’. While it is a seemingly innocent thing to play around ‘talking smack’ in real or fantasy sports leagues, it is totally another matter when this practice becomes a habit that carries over into family, business, and social relationships. The fact of the matter is that bad mouthing accomplishes exactly what it is intended to do: destroy the confidence and self-esteem of another. God’s Word is clear: Our speech is to build up and not tear down. Note the negative impact potential of bad-mouthing:

Family and Marriage Relationships: In far too many marriages there exists competition between spouses for superiority. One trash talks the other in order to make themselves appear greater or better in the eyes of their friends, acquaintances, and sadly, even in front of their children. This type of verbal abuse is like a cancer that eats away and destroys the fabric that holds family and marriage relationships together. Our homes need to be a safe place where the Spirit of the Lord is present and His peace provides rest from the evil of the world. Husbands and Dads: It is your responsibility to take a leadership role in the sanctification of your homes through your example of prayer and obedience to the Word of God.

Col 4:6 Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt…

Work and Social Relationships: Sales are lost when the competition is trash talked rather than selling your product or service on its own value and merit. Conflict on the job or in your neighborhood ensues when what you said about so-and-so gets back to them, embellished and underscored by gossip. Note in our reference Scripture how Sanballat made sure to talk smack in front of many others. Note also how Tobiah picked up on it and chimed in his own bad mouthing. This snow-balling effect creates a ‘hostile environment’ where the thought of returning to the workplace can literally make some people who have been the target of verbal abuse physically ill. Jobs are justifiably lost by those who initiate and perpetuate trash talk in the work place. Sadly, jobs are also lost by those who simply can no longer tolerate working in a hostile environment.

Eccl 10:20 Even in your thought, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

Jesus exhorts us as recorded in Matt 5:33 to ‘Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.’ May the Holy Spirit make you aware of the effect of your words before they are spoken. May you be obedient to the ‘check’ of the Holy Spirit. May all your words ‘reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching’ spoken in the love of Jesus Christ.

Close in prayer, thanksgiving & rededication of your work to the glory of God