Talking

"When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise." -Proverbs 10:19

I like to talk, anyone that knows me will tell you that.  I love snuggling up on the couch and talking with my husband about anything and everything; I enjoy sipping a cup of coffee and talking about the precious Truth of God's Word with a good friend; and the silly conversations I get to share with the 18 month old I watch bring a smile to my heart just thinking about them.  Talking is a blessing, and for it I am so thankful.  And conversation, words, can be good and meaningful; but...there is danger in the midst of it all.

Any believer, in fact most any person will tell you that they have said something they wish they hadn't.  In a moment of heightened emotion, frustration, or hurt, words came out that you wished you could have sucked back in.  And on the flip side, most any person will tell you that they have been hurt by words from others at some point or another as well.  And despite the forgiveness that has been given, on all accounts, the memory doesn't disappear.  Words are powerful, undeniably so.  This is a sobering Truth.  James talks about the power of the tongue in his New Testament letter and likens it to a "fire" and a "restless evil".  Its power is frightening.  

And the excuses we make for the mistaken words we have said are shaming to say the least, emotional or not, there is never an excuse for an idle word, a slanderous comment, or a gossip to a brother.  The verse above provides some wise counsel for all of us, simply put, the more we speak, the more apt we are to sin.  

I will be the first to admit that I fail in this area.  My tongue has gotten me in to trouble more than once.  There have been moments in my life when I would have given anything to take back words I said.  I have felt shame and pain because of the lack of wisdom in which I spoke.  But, God in His grace, has continued to teach me the Truth of His Word and sanctify me in this area.  Let me encourage you with three things I have found helpful in my pursuit of using my tongue for the glory of God alone.

Think Before You Speak - This sounds simple enough, but when you think about it, how many times have you said something hastily, in emotion, and wished you hadn't?  We must train our mouths.  We must submit our mouths to the authority of the Spirit, and evaluate why we are speaking, what we are saying, and the benefit for the hearer.  God's glory is at stake, let that be your motivation to pause and choose your words wisely.

Respond Don't React- This is one area I consistently have to work on.  In a moment of frustration, hurt, or confusion, it is easy to react out of emotion, fear, or frustration; but instead we must train our mouths to respond rightly.  We must filter our responses through the Word of God and what would bring Him the most glory and the most good to the one we are talking to.  We must patiently forebear, and endure, in order to respond rightly and not react wrongly.

If In Doubt, Don't Say It- If you question whether or not you should be speaking about a certain thing, don't.  That most often is the Spirit's conviction to keep quiet.  Jesus said, "Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks."  The tongue is the revealer of the heart.

Talking is a blessing and we should cherish the gift we've been given.  But we must continually remember words can bring life or death, and choose to glorify God in what comes forth from our mouths.