Be Quiet

Do you ever find yourself saying things that you know you shouldn’t say? No matter how hard you try the words just spill forth? I have that problem when I am overtired…I tend to have run of the mouth syndrome. I find myself spilling out all these things that don’t matter and this is when I am most likely to say something negative about someone. Or just grumble about everything! I can hear myself saying these things, but feeling powerless to stop them. Usually it is Matt who hears all my run of the mouth tendencies, but sometimes I am on the phone when I do it and then I wind up feeling stupid for what I say. I sit there thinking that was completely pointless and what must this person be thinking of me?! I was lying in bed the other night thinking about the verse that says “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3

When I get up in the morning and start my prayers I usually remember to pray about my tone. I don’t want it to be biting and negative, tearing the kids or anyone else down. But, I don’t actually remember to pray about my words!! I need to make this verse part of my morning prayers. I don’t want my words to negatively impact anyone and I know this directly affects my Christian witness.  Proverbs 25:11 states: “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.” (NKJV)

Last night after I put the kids to bed they were laughing and talking. A while later I went in to tell them I was going to bed and K said E wouldn't stop talking. He said "I can't help it. I am so tired and I can't stop talking!" The apple doesn't fall far from this tree. So, if me and my son have run of the mouth tendencies, I imagine we are not alone.

Let’s watch our careless words. Words we say in anger or frustration will always be out there. I can remember hateful words said to me as a child…and obviously I haven’t been a child for a long time. It’s not like I want to remember those words, but they tore me down and it has stuck with me. You never know what someone else is going through. It may look like they have it all together, but if we all remember the golden rule to treat others how we want to be treated, and to build each other and stop tearing each other down, we would have a lot less regrets. Words are powerful, how will you use yours today?