“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good…” (Ephesians 4:29).

It happened quite suddenly. Though we had a few small warning signs, we honestly thought that we had a little more time left. Years ago when my wife Karen was undergoing chemotherapy treatment, often for the next week she was very sick. Popsicles usually tasted good to her. On this day, when I pulled them out of the freezer of our refrigerator, they were no longer frozen.

I opened the refrigerator, and there was a particular smell. Sure enough! Without us knowing it, our refrigerator had quit working quite a while before we discovered it. I mean it had really quit with no hopes of repair. Very quickly the spoiling of food had begun to take place. Guess what? This is the exact picture that Paul uses to describe the words of people who use foul language.

The corrupt communication literally means “words that are rotten or spoiling.” Today I want to pray the prayer of Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.”

This vivid picture is such a good reminder. I want my words to be acceptable to the Lord. I believe this also has to do with my tone and volume in which I speak! May my words be clean because I not only know the Lord but also because I am walking with Him as well.