No one is perfect. All human
beings stumble in one way or another. If anyone is never at fault in what
he/she says, they are a perfect person. They are able to keep their whole body
in submission (James 3:1-2). We are
acquitted and condemned by what we say and do (Matthew 12:37). Too much talk can lead to sin; therefore, it is
sensible to keep a guard over our words (Proverbs 10:19).
When we do speak, we should
pray first and then speak as though God Himself were speaking through us. This way
everything we say will bring glory to God (1 Peter 4:11). What we say is the product of how we think and what
we believe (Matthew 12:33-35).
What we say flows from what is in our heart. A good person produces good things
from the reservoir of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things
from the abundance of an evil heart (Luke 6:45).
Our negative thoughts are
like a skein of tangled yarn, so entwined that it is almost impossible to
unravel them. They confuse our mind and cause us to miss the purposes of God in
our life. We are too busy complaining to see His hand working out the details
for our good (Romans 8:28). Negative thoughts cause a
perverse heart, which never prospers; and a deceitful tongue causes just as
much trouble (Proverbs 17:20). The person who speaks rashly will come to ruin (Proverbs
13:3). Only a
fool keeps on talking (Ecclesiastes 5:3). An evil man is trapped by his sinful talk, but a
righteous man escapes trouble (Proverbs 12:13).
A
cultured person with education may be able to use words with restraint, and a
thoughtful person is more even-tempered than someone who just blurts out
whatever comes to his/her mind (Proverbs 17:27). However, no human being can ever fully restrain their tongue.
It is impatient, wicked and full of lethal poison (James
3:8). Only the
work of Jesus, living within the Believer, gives us the power over our tongue.
Once we accept Christ as our Savior, the negative aspects of life only have
power over our thoughts or actions if we allow them to do so.
When we belong to Jesus,
then the power of the life-giving Spirit frees us from the power of sin that
leads to death (Romans 8:2). We are
no longer conformed to this world, but we are
transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2). Jesus actually renews the spirit of our mind (Ephesians
4:23). He effectively gives us a choice along with wise
advice about which choice to make. If we guard our words and keep our tongue,
we avoid calamity (Proverbs 21:23). We
are to conduct ourselves in a manner that is worthy of the gospel of Christ,
and to live with each other in one mind and spirit rather than arguing (Philippians
1:27).
The Bible encourages us to
be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry (James
1:19). Our thoughts affect our beliefs, our emotions and our
attitude. We
reap the consequences of our words, and they affect our relationships and even our
health (Proverbs 8:21). Wise words win good things for us; and if we guard our lips, we
guard our life (Proverbs 13:2). Therefore, we can choose to think only about those things,
which are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely and admirable (Philippians
4:8). When our
thoughts are excellent and worthy of praise then this affects what we say and what
we do, as well as how we feel emotionally and physically.
Prayer:
Father
God, it is better not to be quick to speak with our mouth or hasty in our heart
to utter anything before You. You are in heaven and we are on earth, so let us
be wise and let our words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2). Help us to submit to Your
Spirit as You transform our mind, so that we may prove what Your good, acceptable and perfect will is for our life (Romans
12:2).
Thought
for the Day:
From
the fruit of his lips a man is filled with good things, as surely as the good
work of his hands rewards him. - Proverbs 12:13-14