4-15-16 The Gift of Jerk


After the service an evangelist shook hands with those that had come to hear him preach. Many just said simple platitudes and shallow compliments, but one guy told him exactly what he had done wrong, where he had misspoke and that he had gone overtime. The guy went on to explain that he only said such things because God had given him this gift of speaking his mind. He expounded on his statement by sharing that he used his gift wherever he could – criticizing, commenting, and complaining about things. The evangelist said the reality was that the guy had the gift of jerk and that it wasn’t God-given.

Christians can say the most hurtful things by allowing corrupt (rotten) communication spew from their mouths. We may justify it by saying that we have the right to say it, but does that make it right? At times, the gift of jerk comes out of all of us.

Its human nature to pass the blame. The attitude of, I can say what I want and if you have a problem with it, it’s your problem. When someone makes a joke of your disability, weight, accent, heritage, or whatever, learn to laugh. Please realize that mocking is not the same as laughing with someone.

In America we may have the right to say what we want, but it isn’t always right. God is the higher authority. I need to be careful to say what’s right rather than exercise my gift of jerk.

“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. And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:29-32.

© copyright 2016 Kevin T Boekhoff


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