From the Pulpit: The Peanut Gallery

Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.” (Ephesians 4:29)

Sitting in waiting rooms and reading magazines has become a recent hobby of mine. I don’t remember where I was nor what I was reading from, but I read this article and would like to share it with you.

The article stated that on October 29, 2008, Northwest Airlines of Minneapolis merged with Delta Airlines of Atlanta.

Now this may not be front page news to the whole world, but it is very important to a select group of individuals throughout our world.

What raised the radar on these folks was not the fact of the merger. It was the fact that Northwest Airlines, which used to serve pretzels on its flights, began serving Delta’s peanuts.

Now that’s big news?

Actually, it is big news. It is big news for people who are worried about the national salmonella outbreak that seemed to be centering on peanuts produced by the Peanut Corporation of America. They have a plant in Atlanta where Delta is headquartered.

It’s news for people who have a nut allergy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say at least three million Americans have an allergy to peanuts or tree nuts.

As I was sharing this news in typical waiting room fashion, a man in the room said, “My wife’s allergy is so severe that if someone is sitting near her and eating peanuts, the odor is enough to trigger an allergic reaction.”

Point learned for me is, peanuts on the plane, or anywhere, are big news for people who have to watch what they put into their mouths.

On the other hand, what comes out of the mouth ought to be a concern for every Christian.

That’s what God’s Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesian church: “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth.”

The only person I know who kept a complete lid on corrupt communication is the Lord and Savior, Jesus the Christ. His words were always appropriate for what was needed.

As the old expression goes, “He, Jesus, comforted the afflicted and afflected the comfortable.”

Jesus is the example we Christians need to follow. People are sensitive. Their feelings can be easily hurt. This is why, as much as you and I are able, we should say only that which is good, edifying and offering grace to all who hear.