Friday’s Devotion: Sometimes We Just Need to Keep Our Mouth Shut

Proverbs 11:12  Whoever derides their neighbor has no sense, but the one who has understanding holds their tongue.
Proverbs 21:23 Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity.

I decided a long time ago I would rather have a root canal than to listen to radio talk-shows. Acerbic-tongued people turn me off.  But it’s not only media personalities who think they have to be brutally honest.  We encounter these people in our lives, too.  Sometimes we even fall in to that roll for a moment.  Before being openly critical or having to voice our displeasure of a situation or of someone’s actions maybe we should ask ourselves some questions.
1. What’s the point?  Will my critical remark really make the person change?
2.  What’s the point?  Is expressing my opinion more important than someone’s feelings?
3. What’s the point? Is it really my place to critique what’s going on or what someone is saying or what they are wearing, or how they are doing something?
4. What’s the point? Will my remarks make everyone in the room uncomfortable, and / or put a damper on the event?
5. What’s the point?  Do I have to be brutally honest (making me a brute and subject to criticism, too) or could I speak in a kinder, more godly way?

Jesus said this:  “But what goes out of the mouth comes from the heart. And that’s what contaminates a person in God’s sight.  Out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adultery, sexual sins, thefts, false testimonies, and insults. These contaminate a person in God’s sight” – Matthew 15:18-20

Holy Lord, help us to use our tongues to encourage others. Help us to speak kindly and to bridle our tongues even when we can’t control our critical thoughts. Lift us up and help us to lift up other, too.  We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Have a great weekend!
Paige