Tongue Trouble
"If you keep your mouth shut, you will stay out of trouble." Proverbs 21:23
As a young pastor, I seemed to find myself in awkward conversations more often then I care to admit. Upon introducing myself to a guest one Sunday morning, I noted who she was with and then turned back to her and asked, "Are you her mom?" After a shriek of horror, she let me know that they were sisters. I attempted to apologize, but was rebuffed most severely. My foot was firmly entrenched in my mouth and there was no escape. She left with great anger and disgust never to visit again. Yikes! I felt horrible. Thankfully, those moments are decreasing with age and experience, but every once in awhile I still visit the terrible land of Foot-In-Mouth.
In our verse for the day, the Bible is so completely clear and concise in regards to our words. Just keep your mouth shut. Ponder this question for awhile, "How different would your marriage be, your family be, your workplace, your neighborhood, your church, your community, etc. if we would have practiced the keep your mouth shut principle?" O the pain and heartache that could have been avoided. How many relationships lie shattered because careless words, just like sticks and stones, can wound deeply?
Before we all slip into deep sadness, there is good news here. Today is a new day. It's a fresh start. We can begin today, with God's help, to quiet our tumultuous tongues. I was sent a great list of questions recently in regards to monitoring our words. Here you go: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? How different would our lives and relationships be if no word left our mouth that did not pass those three simple test questions? Here's to quieter days ahead.
Grace and Peace,
Tom
As a young pastor, I seemed to find myself in awkward conversations more often then I care to admit. Upon introducing myself to a guest one Sunday morning, I noted who she was with and then turned back to her and asked, "Are you her mom?" After a shriek of horror, she let me know that they were sisters. I attempted to apologize, but was rebuffed most severely. My foot was firmly entrenched in my mouth and there was no escape. She left with great anger and disgust never to visit again. Yikes! I felt horrible. Thankfully, those moments are decreasing with age and experience, but every once in awhile I still visit the terrible land of Foot-In-Mouth.
In our verse for the day, the Bible is so completely clear and concise in regards to our words. Just keep your mouth shut. Ponder this question for awhile, "How different would your marriage be, your family be, your workplace, your neighborhood, your church, your community, etc. if we would have practiced the keep your mouth shut principle?" O the pain and heartache that could have been avoided. How many relationships lie shattered because careless words, just like sticks and stones, can wound deeply?
Before we all slip into deep sadness, there is good news here. Today is a new day. It's a fresh start. We can begin today, with God's help, to quiet our tumultuous tongues. I was sent a great list of questions recently in regards to monitoring our words. Here you go: Is it true? Is it helpful? Is it kind? How different would our lives and relationships be if no word left our mouth that did not pass those three simple test questions? Here's to quieter days ahead.
Grace and Peace,
Tom
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