Watch Your Mouth

“A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion. When wickedness comes, contempt comes also, and with dishonor comes disgrace. The words of a man's mouth are deep waters; the fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. It is not good to be partial to the wicked or to deprive the righteous of justice. A fool's lips walk into a fight, and his mouth invites a beating. A fool's mouth is his ruin, and his lips are a snare to his soul. The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body.”

~Proverbs 18:2-8

When I was a kid we were taught manners, politeness, kindness and respect. We didn’t talk back to our elders, and we didn’t get smart with Mama. If our tone of voice even got out of line, we heard, “Watch your mouth!” When I had kids, I taught them the same thing—respect. That is something I find sorely missing these days from almost everyone. It seems people think just because a thought pops into their head, they have to post it on social media or rant about it on a blog or video. One thing I like to remember is, “Better to be thought a fool than open your mouth and remove all doubt (Proverbs 17:28).” Apparently, people no longer care whether they sound like a fool or not.

^“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 (Ephesians 4:10).”

Using foul language, telling coarse jokes, shouting obscenities from the rooftops, being opinionated and rude permeates our society. Even among those who call themselves Christians. I am appalled at how people act, and more appalled they don’t seem to care how they look or sound to others. It seems the louder and ruder someone is, the more the world applauds them. And I don’t get it. Especially with Christians. It is a slap to God’s face for us to call ourselves Christians and continue to act like everyone else. It is a disgrace to what Christ did for us on the Cross when we sound like heathens, and it’s disrespectful to everyone. We are to be in the world, but not of the world (1 John 2:15-17), in other words, we are supposed to act like Christ did as we walk our way through life. We are supposed to be an example of the new life Christ gives us to show others it’s a better way; but if we sound like everyone else, how does anyone see Christ in us? We are going to be held accountable for every word that comes out of our mouths (Matthew 12:36) when we stand before God one day. And rest assured, every one of us will stand before God and answer for our lives on earth (2 Corinthians 5:10). If your words are not lining up with Christ’s example, if you sound like everyone else, if your speech isn’t gracious (Colossians 4:6), perhaps you too, need to watch your mouth.  

“If we put bits into the mouths of horses so that they obey us, we guide their whole bodies as well. Look at the ships also: though they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also, the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great things. How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell. For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water (James 3:3-12).”

Read Isaiah 49-54

©2017 Marie McGaha