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Slow to Speak

    Do you ever find yourself saying things that you regret in the heat of a moment? Or carelessly speaking and not thinking about what you're actually saying? It is easy to let our tongues get carried away and speak things almost on their own! It's scary to think that we can let our tongues run rampant without realizing we are doing so.

    We are told in Matthew 12:24 that from the fullness of the heart, the mouth speaks. What are you spending your words on? Are you complaining? Gossiping? Worrying? What does this say about the condition of your heart? Is it truly set on Jesus?

    The Bible warns many times to keep our tongue tamed. We are supposed to carefully choose our words and make sure that they honor Jesus. If they don't, we are better off staying silent. That sounds harsh, but it is what the word advises us to do. There's not much more to it. All we have to do is take the time to think and pray before we speak to determine if it will bring glory to Jesus.

    This is something that takes time and practice. It is not easy, especially if you are like me and are used to letting your tongue do the talking without much help from your brain. It is important for everyone to use their words carefully and only for Jesus. Try to put this into practice today. Use your words to exalt Jesus!

James 1:19 Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger (ESV)
Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue, Guards his soul from troubles. (NASB)
Ephesians 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (ESV)
Proverbs 12:18 There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (ESV)

James 3:2-12 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.
When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.
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. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water. (NIV)

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