If you’ve ever spelled a word wrong while typing on the computer you know how possible it is to type a word wrong but not have the spell-checker ‘catch’ the mistake.
For example…I might want to write about my “favourite characters in a book.” But if I’ve spelled something wrong it might look more like my “fever it correctors in a book.”
That happened to be only one of several problems in a recently handed-in homeschool assignment I had given a child. I nearly killed myself laughing about how he had “licked every part of the book.” Of course, he didn’t lick a thing but he sure LIKED the book a lot! And although he told me “humus were the weskits” of them all, I understood him to mean that humans were the weakest of them all.
Thankfully I have spell-checkers active on my computer and email program. I can’t imagine what I might inadvertently say if the spell-checker wasn’t actively employed. But I still have to read through what it says to make sure I haven’t correctly spelled a mistake! I’m so glad that after I hit send but before the computer ships my words off into cyberspace, my spell-checker reads everything and then prompts me to make my corrections.
Sometimes I wish my mouth had a similar checker. I wish I could hit some special button that would filter the words coming from my brain to my mouth. Perhaps I’d get some message coming across my vision letting me know that “those would be fightin’ words, would you like to send anyway?” Or perhaps it could check the tone attached to those words. Surely it would catch the things I say that I will regret in about two minutes flat.
Perhaps it could be even more like my spell-checker and offer me options! When I want to say, “That is a really stupid idea!” I might get an option that offers me other ways to more kindly say something helpful, like “That is an idea I’ve never even considered!” or “Wow! You’ve got a very interesting way of looking at things!” Maybe if I looked over my options my words wouldn’t seem quite as — well…raw.
And believe it or not…we can have exactly such a Checker on our mind and mouth. It actually does a much better job that what I could imagine on my own. I’ve been trying this out and I have to tell you it is the best thing ever!
His name is Holy Spirit. When I ask Him to reveal my sinful thoughts and to help me take my thoughts captive so that I can speak words of truth, life and healing, He will do that. I just have to listen and accept His options. I can’t hit ignore on the Holy Spirit without consequence. Neither can I hit ignore and expect to have speech filled with grace and life.
As women, we need to consider the part the Holy Spirit can play in how we use our words. We can’t take them back once they’ve escaped so we better be sure to pass them through the Holy Spirit checker before they do.
Have you ever experienced the Holy Spirit nudging you to keep some words to yourself and later realized it was the best thing to do? Have you ever ignored that still small voice and wish later that you hadn’t? Or perhaps you’ve been blessed by words of grace. We’d love to hear your stories. Let us know what God is doing in your life. Please leave a comment below.
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About Carla Anne Coroy
Carla Anne can be described in one word: passionate. After just a few minutes with her it is evident that her biggest passion is people. Carla Anne is an accomplished Christian author, speaker and business woman. Her favourite way to spend her free time is hanging out with her 8 kids (an even mix of sons, daughters, and in-laws) and many family “add-ons”. In winter you can find her cheering for her local hockey team and in summer she’ll be on the beach!
