Proverbs 13:3 Amplified Bible (AMP)
3 The one who guards his mouth [thinking before he speaks] protects his life;
The one who opens his lips wide [and chatters without thinking] comes to ruin.
Have you ever said something and no sooner had you said it you thought “I wish I had not said that!” We have all been there, opened our mouths and regretted the moment we heard what we had just said.
Proverbs says that the one who has the discipline to guard his mouth and think through before he speaks, protects his life. When you allow your emotions to run helter-skelter, then your mouth will follow suit.
Proverbs 18:21 Amplified Bible (AMP)
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it and indulge it will eat its fruit and bear the consequences of their words.
If this is the case, shouldn’t we all take heed to what we say? Many people are walking around with wounds that have been inflicted on them by friends and loved ones because they spoke a word without thinking, a word that became offensive and built resentment in the heart of another.
We need to develop the discipline to know when to speak and what to say because words are powerful.
With words, you can bring someone down, and with words you can encourage someone who is at rock bottom. This is enhanced if you have a close relationship with someone or if it is someone who has authority over you. Their words carry a lot of weight, and thus they tend to adversely impact you.
Aside from what we say to others or what they say to us, what we say to ourselves is equally important. Some people have been held captive by their words. You keep speaking negative limiting words over yourself and soon enough you believe them, and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy. Someone once asked, “If someone spoke to you the same way you speak to yourself, would you still have them as a friend?” Now that’s a thought-provoking question.
Also, we must not forget that Jesus said that we shall each give an account for every idle word we have spoken. Matt 12:36
Think about this, what kind of words does God our heavenly father speak over you?
Reflections
Has your mouth ever got you into trouble? What happened, and what did you say?
Looking back at your conversations and the words you use when you are talking about others, do you use mostly positive or negative words?
What steps will you put in place to ensure that you speak life and not death when the opportunity to speak arises?
