p. 19 | Our Conversation by Josephine Mott

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Jan 2, 1872

Our Conversation.

By Josephine Mott

“But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of Judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.” Matt. 12: 36, 37.

Do we realize this? Do we indeed feel that we must give an account for every thoughtless speech of ours?

Do we attach that importance to our conversation that we ought?

Do we consider what influence one little word may have on our lives and that of others?

Do we think or ask ourselves if God will be pleased with this before we speak it?

Do we realize that life and death are in the power of the tongue, and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof?

How many of us remember the injunction of the apostle in his letter to the church at Ephesus: “Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient, but rather giving of thanks;” and also, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace to the hearers.” Do we always strive to edify our hearers and be of benefit to them?

Are we always as careful of the feelings of others as we should be? “Pleasant words are as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.”

Do we always strive to hide others’ faults, as we do our own? or do we make a wrong use of words, and proclaim them abroad? “He that covereth a transgression seeketh love, but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends.”

James says (1: 26), “If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man’s religion is vain.” Here is positive testimony that if we do not bridle our tongues, our profession is vain. What need then have we to watch unto prayer? That we may be able through the aid of the Spirit to tame that unruly member which without God’s help no man can tame. He can tame it, if we cannot; and he will do so, if we desire and strive with all our heart.

But do we not sin by what we omit to say as much as by what we say? What should be the theme of our conversation? Should it not be, What hath the Lord done? Surely we who have heard the last message of mercy ought to have much to say of his goodness and love. Is it not of God’s remnant people it is said, “Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord and thought upon his name?” Is it only in the social meeting that we are to speak often to each other? Surely not. Has he not put a new song into our mouths, even praise unto our God? Oh! that with the psalmist, my tongue also might talk of thy righteousness all the day long.

“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer, but the mouth of the wicked poureth out evil things.” “A wholesome tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness therein is a break in the spirit.” Remember that “a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” JOSEPHINE MOTT.