I've been reading Proverbs lately. It's amazing how many verses deal with our words and what we say.
Prov 13:3 says, "The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; The one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin."
Guarding our mouths means watching what we say and how we say it.
1. Before you say something, take a moment to think about what you are going to say and why.
2. Many people hide harsh/blunt words behind the excuse that they are just speaking the truth. Our speech should always be seasoned with grace.
3. Virtually every Christian will say that gossip is a sin and they can recognize it in others - but gossipers never believe they are gossiping - it's always other people. Gossipers rationalize their hurtful talk in one way or another.
4. Guarding your mouth also means that you don't always have to keep adding to a fight. Most of the time it's just better to stop talking. Nothing was ever made better by retaliating.
The second half of the verse gives us our motivation. The ruin may very well be broken relationships, lost jobs, and lost friends. Certainly the ruin will be the loss of Heaven.
As we go through the week let's all be sure to guard our mouths - because it will preserve our lives.
Pops
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