Perceptions – we have them about situations, objects, people. We may perceive people to be one way, but then in getting to know them, we can find them to be different. Also, we can give others a perception of who a person is or of their character through our words.

Getting to the end of one of my days last week, I thought back on several conversations and found I gave a wrong perception of several people. While I did not speak harshly or directly slander anyone, I felt I gave false perceptions. I pointed out negative words or mistakes of a few people rather than having grace and showing them in a good light. I was surprised at how easily this took place through my speech. Seeking God’s forgiveness, my thoughts went to God’s Word and the encouragement I needed to not fall into this again.

David reminds us in Psalm 34 to “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:13-14) Keep your tongue from evil. Do not gossip, lie, slander, harshly attack with words, conduct idle chatter, or have uncharitable remarks toward someone.

And Paul reminds us in Ephesians to “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.” (Ephesians 4:29)

I gave a negative account of some people without even realizing it, because I was simply sharing happenings, but in a bad way. I did not build them up but instead tore them down without them realizing. Will any harm come to them from a few negative comments they do not even know about? I would like to say no, but it all goes back to perception. I gave my hearer thoughts that were not uplifting. I put negative thoughts of others into my hearer’s mind creating a perception. So, did it cause harm? Yes.

I am guessing I am not alone in being careless with my words, so what do we do about it? Sometimes we do have to talk through negative situations and the difficult personalities of people to come to a place of peace.

I think Paul summed it up perfectly in Colossians 3.

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:12-17)

Put on Jesus. Instead of gossip, slander, lying, idle chatter, and sharing negative perceptions, put on kindness, humility, meekness, patience, forgiveness, grace. Respond in the way Jesus would as you work through negative situations and mistakes of others. Do everything in His name, and the conversations you have will not darken the name of another.

In His Love,

Susan