Daily devotional, December 16, 2023 Flavor of the Month

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." Ephesians 4:29

Back when I was little, we looked forward to the new flavor of the month of a popular ice cream brand. Christmas time meant fruit salad-like flavors, or super indulgent chocolate ice cream.

But there is another “flavor of the month” that is popular in Christmas get-togethers. Infamous as it seems, but there is usually one table in a Christmas party that talks about hush-hush stuff pertaining to the “flavor of the month” of the family, the office, or the community. Yes, the sad thing about get togethers is that sometimes, rumor mongers get together too and endlessly chatter about someone who is not there to defend him or herself.

St. James, the brother of Jesus warns us about the perils of an unbridled tongue. In his letter to the Jewish Christians, he cautioned even those who project themselves as religious people to stop mindlessly talking, especially when it hurts others:

"If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless." 
James 1:26

Rumor mongering is considered as a violation of the Ten Commandments. It is in essence bearing false witness against one’s neighbor:

"Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it." 
James 4:11

Some gossip lovers defend their hobby of slandering people by saying that what they are talking about is just the truth, or that they are just concerned about the other person. But are they really?

"In the same way, the women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything." 
1 Timothy 3:11

But gossiping is not just the only peril of an unbridled mouth, especially during the Christmas Season. Here are some examples:

1. TACTLESSNESS. In social media for instance, you will find people complaining about tactless questions and remarks of possibly well-meaning relatives during family reunions. Simple questions like “when will you have a boyfriend?” to a broken-hearted person, or “when will you get married?” to a person who has long been waiting for her boyfriend to propose, and “when will you have kids?” to a barren couple who kept their reproductive challenges a secret, are just so insensitive.

Another tactless behavior often observed in Christmas get togethers are needless remarks about ageing, weight, school standing of obviously unruly and academically challenged children, marriage status of a couple rumored to be on the rocks, the outfit or haircut of a person who obviously tried their best to look good for the party, and even the taste of the food or the party decor.

If you worry about what to say to someone to start a conversation, why not just compliment the person? Or say something wonderful about the party or the food instead?

2. SAYING THE TRUTH IN ANGER. The Christmas rush could put people on the edge , especially us moms who are the busiest during this season. When stressed, we all know that our patience drops, and some of us could easily snap at our husbands, kids, and other family members. Even if what we tell them is true, we should never say the truth in anger.

"But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers,these things ought not to be so." James 3:8-10

3. TELLING LIES. Another sin that an unbridled mouth commits especially during Christmas get-togethers is telling lies. We lie about how we really are and we try to flatter other people even if what we say is far from the truth. We say things we do not mean, and we are plainly insincere. Let us remember that Christmas is the season to be kind. Being genuinely sincere is a kind gift we can give even to someone we do not really feel comfortable with. 

4. BRAGGING. If there is a mainstay table for rumor mongers, there is also another table in a Christmas party that is just filled with braggarts. Yes, they do not talk about other people, but they endlessly talk about themselves. They boast about their material possessions, latest travels, recent achievements, among other things. If we are to brag about something this season, maybe it is not the material blessing that we received in 2023. We should instead testify about how the Lord has touched our lives, and I do not mean the verbal version of humblebrag soc med posts that have the hashtag blessed in the end.

As we get together with family and friends this Christmas, let us not forget to do what the Birthday Celebrator has called us to do — Love Him with all hearts, and love each other. We can do these by praising and talking about God in our holiday conversations, and by bridling our tongues.

Thank you for reading through our devotional today. I invite you to ponder on James 3:3-10 and Proverbs 26:20-22 to dig deeper on today’s topic.

Reflection Question: How are the holiday conversations in the Christmas parties you have attended so far?

Conversation with the Lord: Heavenly Father, please help me guard my lips during Christmas get togethers and moving forward so that I only talk about wholesome things that encourage others, and bring praise to you. Amen.