Good Manners

"Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God: I speak this to your shame." 1st Corinthians 15:33-34

What a convicting verse! I would say this verse not only deals with gossip but also the effects of it. What a hard verse to swallow! I say hard because I have to admit my own sin. I struggle with this. I go in spurts of doing right. There are times I have victory (it seems)over this but then I will open my mouth. How easy it is to have our hearts turned against someone through this wicked practice. Years ago I struggled so much with this sin I had put a Bible verse on my phone. It was a good reminder to me that my speech ought always to be right and seasoned with grace. I know reading this verse I keep pondering good manners. I know in my heart this is true. I think of many friendships that have gone the road of gossip..what started out as a pure and beautiful friendship became something repulsive. I am ashamed of myself and my behaviour. If I do what the Bible says:

Collossians 4:6 "Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Then I ought never to be in that situation right? Sadly that isnt the case.

I really like the part of this verse..AWAKE unto righteousness. Have you ever been in a rut. Where it seems every day you are going through the motions and your on autopilot so you dont always notice that your rut is getting deeper. I think that is what happens to me. I get caught up in my flesh and self and end up digging that rut deeper and deeper.

Then God gets ahold of you and wakes you up! Sometimes he even gives you coffee. I had to add that there! Anyways, I dont know about you but the sky looks bluer and my day is brighter. I am so thankful that God does not give up on me!