6.20.25 - (Ephesians 4:29)

Introduction

Hello, this is Kenneth, and welcome to Dwell.

Today is Friday, June 20th. Thanks for joining us for today's Dwell Kids Daily.

Thanks for joining us for The Melodic Line for Kids.

For the next few minutes, I invite you to join me as we look to our Great King by opening our hearts to hear from Him through the words of the Bible.

Silence

As we begin, let us remember that God calls His people, young and old, to be still and know that He is God. Let's take a few seconds to calm and quiet our minds, so that we can hear him better.

Opening Prayer‌ Loving Lord, we delight in your counsel. Today, help our hearts be glad as we receive your words. (from Psalm 16:7,9)

Passage

Today our passage is Ephesian chapter 4, verse 29 (ICB)

When you talk, do not say harmful things. But say what people need—words that will help others become stronger. Then what you say will help those who listen to you.

Exhortation

Have you noticed that it is much easier to tear things down than to build them up? It takes skill, patience, and vision to carve a beautiful statue, but it takes none of those things to destroy it. Anyone can tear something down.

Just the other day, my daughter spent hours on a Lego house. It was amazing. It wasn’t a kit, this house came straight from her own creative imagination. Well, I was walking by without looking and accidentally kicked it until it seemed like a million pieces. Ugh, I felt so bad, though she took it like a champ! It took her hours of imaginative intentionality to build it, and one second of thoughtless clumsiness by me to tear it down. It is easier to tear things down, than to build them up.

This is also true for how we speak. Why is it so easy to tear other people down with our words? Often the people we love the most. In one thoughtless instant I can get mad, or jealous, or hurt and tear someone down with a nasty word or statement. But if I have the idea to build someone up, to really encourage them or make them feel loved, I would need to really think about what I want to say. My friend Shay is a great dad, husband, friend, pastor, and writer. Because we are friends it is easy to never actually say anything that is clearly encouraging, surely he knows I respect him, right? I mean we’re friends. No, it is good and it is right to encourage and build up the people around us. But it will be very hard to do this if we think too highly of ourselves. Pride has a way puffing yourself up, rather than building others up.

God has given us the ability to speak, and one reason for that is to build people up. We need to encourage the people around us with words. We need to tell them things that will bless them.

In our passage today, Paul tells us that we need to stop tearing people down with our words. That is easy and sloppy. We need to be thoughtful and intentional in how we speak to others, even if we disagree with them. They are made in the image of God! Honor that reality and honor them when you speak.

Call to Action Let’s take a moment to consider who we might build up today. Is it your parents or siblings? Is it a friend, or even someone you struggle to get along with? Think about how you can build them up.

Closing Prayer‌ Let’s pray together.

Father in heaven, you are good and your loyal love is everlasting. You are a God who speaks, and you have built up your people in your Word. We praise you in the power of the Spirit, and we come to you in prayer in the name of your Son, Jesus. Amen.

Outro

It's been great to be with you today.

Tomorrow, we'll be in the gospel according to Luke, chapter 4. Until then, go in peace, and let the word of King Jesus dwell in you richly.

Now, go in peace, and let the word of King Jesus dwell in you richly.