Family Talk: A Family Devotional on Our WordsSample

Game: 

Stand and form a tight circle, facing each other. Everyone crosses and extends their hands into the circle and by intermingling their arms, grasps hands with other family members. Be sure that the two hands they are holding do not belong to the same person. The goal: untie the knot, which results in having to climb over, under, or through each other’s arms to untie the knot of bodies. 

Message:

When we get upset with each other, it is even more important to be careful with our words. It is sometimes easy to say things that we know that we shouldn’t when we are angry or hurt, and sometimes we say things that we don’t even mean to when we are upset.  We can also get angry when someone says something mean to us, and we want to say something mean back to that person. But the Bible tells us that we should not just say whatever we want in those moments.  By speaking and responding gently, and by carefully choosing what to say, we can bring peace to that person and the situation we are in.  When we feel ourselves getting upset, it is sometimes good to slow down and take a break. Did you know that sometimes even God took a break (or turned away) when He was angry? We don’t do this to punish or reject the other person, but to pause so that we can remember what is right and ask God to help us.

In Psalms, King David asked for God for help; he asked him to put a guard or a soldier at his lips so that he wouldn’t say anything that was wrong. Our angry moments will go away, but the words we say during those moments don’t go away. So, it is important to listen to the other person, to choose carefully what we say, and not let ourselves get so angry that we do or speak the wrong thing. Disagreements will happen, but with God’s help, even when we are upset, we can disagree and talk without hurting each other.

Question:

Remember a time that you lost your temper. Do you usually feel yourself getting upset before you say or do the wrong thing?

How could you take a break to calm down and ask for help before you do or say the wrong thing?

When you pray what is the picture of God you have in your mind?

Declaration:

Add this declaration to your family prayer now and each night at dinner. “Our family is quick to listen to each other, slow to choose how to respond and talk to each other, and slow to get angry.”

Verses:

Proverbs 15:1 A gentle answer turns away wrath, but hard words stir up anger.

Psalm 141:3 Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

James 1:19 Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry.

Isaiah 54:7-8 For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger, I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you,” says the Lord your Redeemer.