The words we use

More and more my eyes are being opened to the words that many Christians use in our day to day conversations. We speak a language that is as foreign to people as the languages of the ancient world. No, this isn't to make anyone feel bad or to put anyone down (I'm just as guilty as anyone else!)

For example, we often use words like "fellowship" yet before I was a Christ follower I never once said to my friends, "Hey, you guys want to come over and fellowship?" My friends would have just looked at me with a blank expression and then asked what drugs I was on. If you ask many Christians how they are doing they will respond with great spiritual words and phrases such as, "I am blessed" or "blessed and highly favored" or, in the case that things are rough at the moment, they may respond by saying things like, "I am under attack" or "I am in need of refreshing".

It's not that there is anything wrong with using these phrases and words, but I often wonder how often we speak this Christianese to make ourselves seem more spiritual than we are? Yet as a result we push away people who are in desperate need of "Sanctifying, regenerative begotten one." (Translation: The life changing son of God.)

Let us look at the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 14:19
But in a church meeting I would rather speak five understandable words to help others than ten thousand words in an unknown language. (New Living)

Paul expresses the importance of using words that people will be able to follow and understand. Words that will help people to understand the hope that we have in Jesus. A hope that draw others into the conversation rather than push them away.

May we use words that will invite people to talk with us. May we choose our words with care so others will see us as real people and not someone putting on a show. May we speak the words of the culture that we are in to be a voice for Christ.