As I read the above verses, I couldn't help but notice the high standard being set forth for our speech-"all the utterances of my mouth.... nothing crooked or perverted." All? Nothing? Come now, we tend to reason, we must be realistic...no one can be that perfect. And so we settle for a lower standard and allow ourselves to get away with things that displease God and hurt the testimony of Christ. It is true that we are all far from perfect and we must humbly accept that reality, but it is a mistake to adjust the goal that God has set before us. Let's review what that God-given standard is for followers of Christ.

I like to call this the hardest verse in the Bible to obey-"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person" (Col. 4:6). Gracious speech is one kind of a challenge, but always gracious is quite another! We can't do it without Him.

In another place, Paul sets forth this equally challenging standard-"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear" (Ephesians 4:29). Did you see that? Zero tolerance for any unwholesome words whatsoever! O Lord, we need Your help.

In Psalm 19:14, David prayed this little prayer, "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

May this prayer become ours everyday. Let's speak only for God's glory and encourage one another in this vital area.