"When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise."
(Proverbs 10:19)
Along with wise counsel of the kind of people that we should and should not be associating with, the book of Proverbs is full of good advise about various issues about how we should be living our lives. The first section we will deal with concerns the tongue.
Wildfires
Have you ever had the experience of being anywhere near a wildfire? I am not talking about the small fires you may see burning alongside the highway every now and then during winter, but rather the violent, destructive wildfires that destroy whole forests, kill animals, and even burn down people's homes? The kind of fires that you see now and then on the news and on movies where people's lives are destroyed as a result.
Anyone who has been involved in one of those fires will tell you that they are frightening experiences. I remember when I was a young boy, my dad and I were staying on a farm in Northern Kwazulu Natal, and one night, a major fire started on a neighbouring farm. For me the experience was not that scary, not only because it seemed rather exciting as I was very young at the time, but also because I knew that it could not harm me. If it came closer to the farm house, we would just pack our suitcases into the boot of the car and drive off.
But for the owner of the farm, his family and staff, it was a matter of great concern. They rushed out in their bakkies and raced to the fire to assist their neighbour, because if they did not, the fire would more than likely have started to burn on their farm too and destroy their crops and livestock.
The Bible tells us that unwise words can cause the same type of devastation as a wildfire (see James 3:5). The words from our mouths, if we are not careful to guard them, can destroy people, instil fear and cause people to hate and bear grudges towards others.
Rather Say Nothing
Some people certainly could talk the hind-quarters off a mammoth. They seem to have something to say about anything and everybody. When something happens, or a person makes a comment, they seem to burst forth with a monologue that can put Shakespeare to shame.
However, as our verse above indicates, when we do that we are opening ourselves up to bad speech. When we speak without thinking, it is so easy to say something that we wish we had not said. We could say hurtful things or things that we never really meant to say.
But why does this happen? Jesus gave the answer in Matthew 12:34, "For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart." There is a direct link between what is in our hearts, and what we say. And since we are born with a sinful heart, and our hearts are not yet perfect even though we may be saved, sinful speech will follow.
What is needed is self control. We need to regularly put guards on our speech and make sure that we do not say things that could be harmful to others. The self-control begins in our hearts. We need to put the brain into gear before we engage the tongue. We need to learn to say nothing. And when we do speak, to make sure that what we are saying is not from a selfish attitude or is something that is going to cause destruction. There will be times when we need to say something to someone as a means of correction or rebuke, but we need to heed the advice in Ephesians 4:15 and to speak that truth in love. After all, love does not seek to destroy, but to build up.
As the saying goes, "It is better to be quiet and be considered a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt."
Just a Thought!
© 2012
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