Words From Job, David, Solomon and James

Job 13:5   If only you would be altogether silent! For you, that would be wisdom.

Psalm 141:3  Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips.

Ecclesiastes 5:2-3  Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. …many words mark the speech of a fool.

James 3:7-10  All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be.

            My prayer has always been that my Heavenly Father will guide me in writing whatever it is that he wants someone to read, even if that someone turns out to be myself. Please be assured that I am not finger-pointing at anyone, for even if I pointed one finger the rest of my fingers would be turned back to point at myself (try it). Yet this topic is on my heart this morning and I will always write what is on my heart.

            For some of us this would seem an impossible task yet I know that it is totally possible because I have a dear friend, whom I remember from years past, whose words were few. She seldom spoke, but when she did the words she chose were encouraging, honest, well-thought, and trustworthy. She seldom volunteered responses, but as I recall, she would wait to be asked her opinion. When she replied her words were often grounded in and backed up by familiar scriptures. There are few people who have this ability and yet the Bible is full of cautions for those of us whose words cascade out of our mouths like a rushing waterfall. Oh, and to be clear…words can tumble out of texting fingers as easily as they can from your lips.

            The reality is that talking too much rarely helps anyone else. It isn’t always necessary to speak and we don’t have to comment on everything we hear. Not all of our thoughts need to be verbalized, in fact most thoughts should be kept to ourselves and taken to our Heavenly Father in a prayer asking for his forgiveness. Perhaps today is the best day for some honest self-reflection—I will be joining you.

 

Gracious Heavenly Father,

            We acknowledge the many times when quietness would have been a better option than a flood of words. We ask forgiveness. As in the example of David, we ask that you set a guard on our mouths. Teach us the wisdom that comes with silence.

            In the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, Amen.

 

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