23 Watch your tongue and keep your mouth shut, and YOU WILL STAY OUT OF TROUBLE. 23 Watch your words and hold your tongue; YOU’LL SAVE YOURSELF A LOT OF GRIEF. 23 The one who guards his mouth and tongue KEEPS HIMSELF OUT OF TROUBLE. Proverbs 21
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. Proverbs 13 AMP
I listened to a clip about a very talented, high level sportsman recently, who on occasion has been quite outspoken. Apparently he has decided after some bad press that he will no longer make comments about other members of his sport. He probably doesn’t know what the Bible says about this, but he’s learned by experience that he needs to hold his tongue concerning other competitors. It’s particularly easy for gifted individuals to be critical of those less talented who don’t achieve success so readily.
How much trouble would be prevented in the Body of Believers today if only we too would refrain from commenting on our brothers and sisters!
4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. Romans 14
Peter was the most outspoken of the disciples and at times that got him in trouble, but the Lord dealt patiently with Peter and didn’t crush his strength of character. God made Peter the way He wanted him, but his character had to be touched when the Spirit fell in the upper room. After that encounter God was able to use Peter to preach the first Gospel message to the multitudes on Pentecost.
10 For,
“Whoever would love life
and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
and their lips from deceitful speech. 1 Peter 3
The once outspoken disciple shares something precious with us in the first epistle bearing his name. The quality of life we all enjoy on this earth will depend greatly on the use of our tongues.
GOOD SPEECH, GOOD LIFE!
May the Lord’s Spirit sweeten our tongues and our lives this day and every day.
24 ‘“‘The Lord bless you
and keep you;
25 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
26 the Lord turn his face towards you
and give you peace.’”
27 ‘So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.’ Numbers 6
Immanuel, God is with us.