What Your Speech Say’s About You!
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
What Your Speech Says About You
“You are one of them… Your speech shows it!” Mark 14:70 (NKJV)
You can try to disguise your identity by changing your looks, your social circle and your address - but how you speak will give you away every time.
It happened to Peter. When a servant girl saw him warming himself by the fire, she said, “‘You…were with Jesus of Nazareth.’ But he denied it…And the…girl saw him again and began to say to those who stood by, ‘This is one of them.’ But he denied it again…later those who stood by said to Peter again…’you are one of them…your speech shows it’” (Mk 14:67-70 NKJV). So in order to convince his accusers that he wasn’t a friend of Jesus, Peter “Began to curse and swear, ‘I do not know this Man of whom you speak’” (Mk 14:71 NKJV).
It worked! After that nobody else accused him of knowing Jesus. Isn’t it interesting how public profanity in any language, has a way of making others question the quality of your relationship with Christ?
So many people come up to me and ask where I’m from. Rather many say “What part of New York are you from?” My accent has a clear distinct click from an area not quite Manhattan and certainly not South Carolina!, Although it’s Northeast somewhere, and people want to know. They all want to know if they have a relative nearby the area I lived or even live for that matter. It opens opportunities for me to share the Gospel so many times you would not believe. Many are not afraid to come up because they can tell by the manner in which I speak is not that of a person to fear.
I must say that years ago this same man with that New York accent was not one of those people that you would walk up to and speak to without reservation. This is primarily because of the manner in which I carried myself. My life, much like yours was transformed by the renewing of our minds. Romans 12:2 today it has changed to one of compassion and kindness. Then I suffered from sin, and it was my way of life. In order to be a witness I had to change everything. Looking back I’m so grateful that we serve a forgiving God. It’s just the greatest thing that he takes broken lives and not only restores them, he takes that lifestyle and uses it for his glory. If you let him!
Paul says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up…that it may benefit those who listen” (Eph 4:29 NIV). If you want to win people to Jesus, start with how you talk. Paul said, “Let your speech always be with grace…that you may know how you ought to answer each one” (Col 4:6 NKJV). Words are powerful things. They build up or tear down, add to or take from.
It’s not important that people can tell from your accent where you’re from, but when they can’t tell by the way you talk that you’re Christ’s disciple, something’s seriously wrong.
Ron Von Fricken