Tone Check

  Bill Crowder tells us, “Driving home from work, I heard a radio advertisement that got my attention.

      It was for a computer program that checks e-mails as they are written.

       I was familiar with ‘spell check’ and ‘grammar check’ programs, but this was different.


      This was ‘tone check.’ The software monitors the tone and wording of e–mails to make certain they are not overly aggressive, unkind, or mean-spirited.

      As I listened to the announcer describe the features of this software, I wondered what it would be like to have something like that for my mouth.

      How many times have I reacted harshly instead of listening first—and later regretted the words I had spoken?

     Certainly a tone check would have protected me from responding so foolishly.

      Paul saw the need for us as believers to check our speech—especially when talking to those who are not Christians. He said, ‘Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one’ Col. 4:6.

      His concern was that our speech be graceful, reflecting the beauty of our Savior. And it must be inviting to others. Talking with the right tone to unbelievers is vital to our ability to witness to them. Colossians 4:6 can be our tone check.  –Bill Crowder”  

“Tone of voice can be effective

If our spirit’s calm and meek;

          Let us watch our words and actions,

         Always careful how we speak.”–Hess

     Every time we speak, our heart is on parade.”

Our Daily Bread 

(10/1/11)

             “Lord, help us to control our tongues,

              To clean up what we say,

              To use words that will edify,

                To honor You today. –Sper

             Be careful of your thoughts—

               they may become words at any time.” 

Our Daily Bread

11/2/11

“Not I but Christ be honored, loved, exalted;

           Not I but Christ be seen, be known, be heard;

               Not I but Christ in every look and action;      

    Not I but Christ in every thought and word.  –Whiddington

If we want an increase of Christ,

there must be a decrease of self.”

Our Daily Bread

11/10/11

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails.” 1 Cor. 13:4-8a

Read Colossians 4:2-6

“Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (v 6)