In a world where words can wound, and the peace we seek,
A question asked, a method to help keep us meek.
With many paths to tread, one answer we find,
In Titus 3:2, a wisdom to remind.
"Speak evil of no man," Paul's guidance clear,
For names and reputations, to hearts held dear.
A tender topic, character we must not smudge,
For retaliation comes when one bears a grudge.
Disagreements may arise, as men part ways,
Yet peace endures, through the haze of days.
But speak ill of a man, his honor at stake,
And the fragile peace, you're bound to break.
Let our speech pass through doors of three,
A gentle check to guide our speech, set it free.
Ask first, "Is it true?" and ponder awhile,
Lest words ill-spoken, friendships defile.
Next, question "Is it kind?" as kindness we prize,
A balm to soothe, a bridge 'twixt the wise.
Lastly, "Is it necessary?" the final test,
For idle chatter can stir up a nest.
Hold these keys to speech, and you'll find,
Peace and friendship with most of mankind.
In wisdom and kindness, with care let us speak,
For the bonds we create are not for the weak.
About Brandan Kraft
Brandan Kraft is a computer programmer from the Missouri Ozarks who has been writing about the sovereign grace of God since 1997. He started with a website called bornagain.net, built it into PristineGrace.org, and has published over two hundred articles, nearly sixty songs, and a growing catalog of podcasts from his living room in Ashland, Kentucky. All without permission from anyone.
He holds no seminary degree, no denominational endorsement, and no theological credentials. He has been writing software for the same employer since 1998. He thinks in systems and believes that the sharpest doctrine should produce the widest arms.
His systematic theology, A Thought in the Mind of God, derives every position from one sentence and applies it across every domain - from ontology to eschatology, from the nature of the human mind to the nature of heaven and hell. It is available at pristinegrace.org/mind.
Brandan lives in Ashland, Kentucky with his wife Angie and their son Cole. He plays trombone in the Marshall University Tri-State Brass Band and changes a diaper twice a day on a cat named OJ who was once paralyzed and whom nobody else wanted.
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