Community Builder or Community Killer

This is something that I have been thinking about for awhile, and need to be more intentional about. I need to help build community, but often I am so sarcastic or deceitful that I dismantle it.

"Relationships are built on trust and trust requires telling the truth" ... "Deceit hurts community"

Ephesians 4:29 "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."

Outside of a focus on Christ, our mouths are a cesspool for terrible things. The worst part is that you can 'look good' to those around you through subtle jabs. This is a battlefield that I constantly remove from my attention. I need to be taking each thought captive and bite my tongue so as to speak truth in love.

I sat for a little while after listening to the sermon wondering about the vast number of circumstances where I belittle others or scrutinize their name (based on inaccurate assumptions on so many levels) in my heart. And I went on to think of his grace and love for all of us. I could find this to be hopeless if it weren't for one thing that Jesus keeps telling me:

"Zach, there is no mistake about it, your heart is more deceitful than anything (ouch!).... but (yes, Jesus?), I love you and I am in the process of changing your heart."

So, in this area of my life where I do not live up to the call whatsoever, what do I have? Jesus, who can handle all my insecurities. And where is a route freedom in that? Confession. The truth will set us free. Cleansing of sin will arise from confession, through our broken and contrite hearts. Against Him do we sin when we tear down names. Our God forgives and renews our deceitful hearts. When I fess up to the level of my deceit (which my knowledge only has a limited glimpse of), I find freedom because I finally find the humility to let him in (via confession) and He begins His tearing down and building up of that part of my heart. And... I love him for it; for I have found that the more I confess (AKA the more willing I am to say what God already knows I am doing), the less I struggle with it.