Think before speaking

From an email I received from Brother Jim recently:

"It is said that Augustine had a sign on his living room wall that read: 'He who speaks evil of an absent man or woman is not welcome at this table'."

"Try the acronym T.H.I.N.K. the next time you are deciding whether you should speak something you are thinking:

T - Is it truthful?
H - Is it helpful?
I - Is it inspiring?
N - Is it necessary?
K - Is it kind?

"Instead of speaking evil of someone, we are to '...be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another'." Ephesians 4:32

"But they don't deserve that! That may be true, but neither do you or I - yet God still forgave us. Paul concludes Ephesians 4:32 by saying, '...just as God through Christ has forgiven you'."

"Forgiven people should be forgiving people. Otherwise, we are grieving the Spirit."