How not to say the wrong thing

Not long ago, I started working outside the home. I’m so excited! It fits my skills, personality, and interest really well! However, being part of the “real” world has its challenges. For one, I may say the wrong thing.

I never seemed to say the wrong thing when I was a stay at home mama.

For instance, a few weeks ago, I was laughing with one of my colleagues (a fellow Christian) about how easy it is to be “saved” when you work from home.

Girl, alone at home, working in front of a computer, one isn’t often tested with issues like forgiveness, or anger or negative conversations.

But, in the workplace, it’s a very different world altogether. I had forgotten how much differently the world operates outside my bubble. Communication is huge!

I really want to be a blessing and win people to the Lord.

Every day, I really do hope for a fresh chance to be a blessing to someone in some way – whether I know about it or not. Maybe it will be a smile, a joke I tell, a gift I may give or a service I offer. I want to be a blessing.

Even though I pray I’m a blessing, something gets in the way. It’s my great, big old mouth!

You see, I’m a VERY direct communicator and that’s bound to get me in trouble eventually.

Gone are the days of the shy girl scared to voice her opinions. Honey, if I feel it, I often say it. The spirit of timidity that once held me bondage has been conquered by the blood of Jesus and I praise God for that victory.

But, I may have gotten a little “too” set free!

I hope and pray God teaches me when to speak and when to shut the heck up.

That same ability to share my feelings can easily encumber, offend, or even stifle other people.

That would not be cool and it would not allow me to be the blessing I pray to become.

So, the scripture in my spirit this week is Colossians 4:6:

“Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (As my moms says, “too much salt can ruin a good dish”)

Hey, Christian Woman, listen to how The Message Bible interprets this same scripture:

“Be gracious in your speech. The goal is to bring out the best in others in a conversation, not put them down, not cut them out.”

That says it all. Work in me and on me, Holy Spirit.

For now, here is what I’ll try to do:

1. I’ll pause! One of the reasons I get in so much trouble with my yapping is because I talk entirely to fast. So, I’ll slow my roll. Then I can assess what I’m going to say.

2. Ask myself an important question. I’m going to try to ask myself “if I say this ______, is it contributing to creating a good atmosphere or a bad one?”

3. About that person. I’m going to consider my source too. Sometimes, I say a thing to a person who can’t handle it or I say it at the wrong time. I’m going to be careful what I say as well as who I say it to and whether or not it’s a good time.

Note: each of these things are strategies I use in my marriage too. Heck, it if works there, it will work at the office, right? Ha! I hope so!

Do you have any other tips?