Word to the Wise: Watch Your Mouth!

If our eyes are a “window” to our soul, then our mouth (where words come from) is the “front door” standing wide open inviting everyone to come on in and see what’s inside.  The content of our words (the actual words we use) and the tone of our words (the attitude we use) communicate volumes about who we are and what is in our hearts.  There are times in our home when one of us will speak in a way that is selfish, manipulative, rude, argumentative, unkind, or cruel.  In moments when I have heard enough, and my effort to get them to speak differently failed, I have attempted to video record their words.   I literally want them to “watch their mouth” so that they can SEE with their own eyes what they are saying and how they are saying it.  Almost every time I have tried, as soon as I hit the record button they stop talking or put a smile on their face.  They don’t want their words to be recorded.  Do the words that come out of our mouths’ reveal what is deep down inside our heart?

READ:  Proverbs 18:4

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Watch your MOUTH!  The words that come out of our mouths reveal the deep inner nature of who we really are (Mt. 12:33-37; Lk. 6:43-45).  It is important for us to realize the power of the words that come out of our mouths.  Every word that comes out of our mouth has the potential to heal or injure, to encourage or ridicule, to lift up or tear down, to honor or disrespect, to build trust or to breed doubt, and ultimately to bring life or death.  When we speak, what words should be coming out of our mouths? 

When we speak, speak WISDOM (Prov. 10:13, 31-32, 15:2, 15:7, 20:15, 22:17-18) – I’ve already defined wisdom as, “knowing and living according to God’s ways”.  Those who are wise are to speak words of this wisdom to others.  In Colossians 1:9-10 Paul prays for Colossian believers, that they would be filled with, “all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, . . . increasing in the knowledge of God.”  When we speak, the content and tone of our words should bring others to a greater understanding of, 1) who God is and 2) what it means to live according to God’s ways!  If we’ve got wisdom, then wisdom will always be on our lips!

When we speak, speak TRUTH (Proverbs 12:19, 20:17, 24:26) – Honesty is a top 10 priority for God.  The ninth commandment says, “you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor (Ex. 20:16, Dt. 5:20).”  Just like our words come from our deep inner nature, God speaks out of His deep inner nature as well.  Titus 1:2 says that, “God never lies”, while Hebrews 6:18 says that it is, “impossible for (Him) to lie.”  It is hard at times, but being honest and speaking the truth is ALWAYS the right thing.  A lie may temporarily cover up our mistakes or shortcomings, but it will also steal any peace and contentment we possess.  Our words must be true!

When we speak, speak with RESTRAINT (Proverbs 10:19, 13:3, 15:28, 17:28, 21:23) – If there is one cliché that I remember my father saying growing up it was, “If you don’t have anything good to say, don’t say anything at all”.  Whether my dad realized it or not, that is wisdom paraphrased straight out of the book of Proverbs.  James 1:19 says, “let every person be quick to hear, (and) slow to speak.”  Before we speak, we must pause and give careful thought to what we allow to come out of our mouths.  Ephesians 4:29 says, “let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as it fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”  If the words our heart is telling our mouth to speak are not going to build another person up we would be wise to restrain ourselves and remain silent. 

CONCLUSION:

Every written author uses an editor to help correct their grammar, spelling, punctuation, and content before it is printed and viewed by the public.  Just like a written author needs an editor, all of us are desperately in need of an “editor” who can help us correct the content and the tone of the words we speak before they come out of our mouths.  The editor of our spoken words is the Holy Spirit!  He is available to “watch our mouth” for us and help us speak with wisdom, honesty, and restraint when necessary.  

Word To The Wise: Pay Attention To Your Parents!

What are some of the things that we get tired of hearing our parents’ say?  “Do your homework!”, “Clean your room!”, “Get out of bed, it’s noon!”  Parents are always interfering in our plans, right? “You need to be home by 10pm!”, “You can’t hang out with friends tonight, you’ve already been out 2 times this week!” As we get older our parents’ voice gets even more annoying, right?  As our attitude toward our parents deteriorates we start thinking, “They’re always telling me what to do!”, “I wish they would leave me alone and let me make my own decisions!”  Although these thoughts and feelings are relatively normal and somewhat natural, that does not make them right.  Throughout our lives, we need remain teachable to our parents’ guidance and instruction.  As a child (and we ALL are), how are we supposed to respond to what our parents are trying to teach us?

READ:  Proverbs 1:8, 6:20, 23:22

Here’s our WORD TO THE WISE for the week from the book of Proverbs:  Pay attention to your PARENTS!  Whether we realize it, understand it, accept it, and even whether they deserve it or not, our parent’s teaching and instruction are God’s “Plan A” for passing on His commands to us (Dt. 6:1-9).  Being a parent is an extraordinary responsibility and God has given children a pretty clear “job description” when it comes to our relationship with our them . . . Children, 1)  HONOR your father and your mother (Ex. 20:12; Dt. 5:16), 2)  OBEY your father and your mother (Eph. 6:1; Col. 3:20).  What are some practical ways we can fulfill this “job description” as a child? 

Make your father and mother GLAD and not SORROWFUL (Prov. 10:1, 15:20, 23:25) – I recently illustrated my role as a parent to our son Zachary as a series of road signs which give instructions of where and how to drive his car of life.  Sometimes my instruction is like a sign with a big “thumbs up” which means, “you’re going down the right path, good decision, keep going”.  Other times my instruction is like a sign with a skull and cross bones which means, “don’t go that direction, danger, stop”.  God has given us parents to help us navigate through life and we should deeply value our parents’ “thumbs up” or their “skull and crossbones” instruction.  One simple way to identify if our parents instruction is a “thumbs up” or a “skull and crossbones” is whether or not they have smile on their face or not.  It would be wise of us to read the “signs” of what will make our father and mother happy and do it!

BLESS your father and mother and do not CURSE them (Proverbs 20:20, 30:11) – As young children, we look up to our parents immensely and speak positively about them.  As we get older and witness our parents’ imperfections, we begin to look down on our parents and speak negatively about them.  Blessing our parents means looking up to them with admiration and highly valuing their input in our lives.  Cursing our parents means looking down on them with dislike and devaluing their input in our lives.  We express a blessing or a curse toward our parents by our attitudes, words, and actions.  Cursing parents is a serious issue, in the Old Testament a child who, “curses his father or his mother shall be put to death (Ex. 21:17).”  We may be aware of our parents’ imperfections, that doesn’t give us the right to curse them.  Instead, it would be wise for us to bless them with what God demands that they receive from us . . . genuine honor and obedience. 

RESPECT your father and mother and do not MOCK or SCORN them (Proverbs 30:17) – We’ve probably all heard our parents say, “don’t roll your eyes at me”.  “Rolling” our eyes outwardly expresses an inner attitude of disgust or dislike.  Our eyes also communicate attitudes of mockery (“you’re so stupid”) and scorn (“I’m not going to do that”).  Attitudes of ridicule or rebellion toward our parents are a serious warning signs of a dishonoring and disobedient heart. The consequence of these attitudes is indicative of what needs to happen to the attitudes themselves, they need to be violently removed and replaced with a reverent respect!

CONCLUSION:

Throughout our lives we would be wise to pay attention to our parents.  God expects them to teach and instruct us for a purpose.  Maybe, just maybe, if we are willing to honor and obey our earthly parents’ teaching and instruction we will be willing to honor and obey our heavenly Father’s teaching and instruction!