Monday, October 12, 2009

Talk is NOT Cheap

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18)

There are times when talk is costly, not cheap; times when what you’ve said in the heat of a moment hurts the people you love the most. You wish you could take your words back, but what has been said, has been said.

One of the areas that the Proverbs challenges me is that of self-control, especially in the area of my words. Some of the things we say in a moment are remembered for an eternity; painful words take a long time to be erased from the memory of those we love the most.

The New Testament also speaks of the taming of the tongue. James 3:1-12 is a passage full of stern warnings to the person unable to control his speech. Jesus said that “out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” and warned that men will have to give account for “every careless word they have spoken” (Matthew 12:34-36).

But there is hope! Hope that wisdom can make me person under the control and influence of the Spirit and that my words can bring healing. Hope that my speech can rescue me, together with those around me (Prov. 12:6). There is a transformation that allows my words to endure forever (Prov. 1:19), something which brings delight to the Lord (verse 22).

I need that kind of control in my life, and recognizing that part of the fruit of the Spirit we read about in Galatians 5:22-24 is self-control, and that includes the taming of the tongue. It causes me to pray the words of Psalm 19:14 - May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

1 comment:

  1. This one hits close to home for me too Dwayne. Thank you for your insight and encouragement.
    Jason

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