Monday, 25 August 2014
Bite Your Tongue
Proverbs 10:19 When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.
So often I forget this verse, and say things I shouldn't say. I think we are all guilty of this at times.
Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing at all. Colossians 4:6 reminds us " let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." Or as Thumper used to say, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all." How many times have I opened my mouth, said the first thing that came to mind, and then regretted it for days.
Mark and I have been married for 37 years. We had some rocky times and we have had some absolutely wonderful times. I can say with certainty that the rocky times were either caused by or exacerbated by me saying things I shouldn't have said. James tells us the tongue is a wild thing and must be tamed. Oh, that is so hard. In the heat of the moment, we feel we MUST give that person a piece of our mind. They need to be straightened out.
But is that what they really need? And is that what I need to be doing? So many times, we give of our best to those of the world, and then have nothing left to give our families but the worst of us. I've been guilty of having the thought that my family should love me, no matter what, so I can be angry and say whatever I want. But God tells us to be angry and sin not (Ephesians 4:26).
So, how are you talking to your husband and your children? Do your children think you are always angry? Do they think you don't know how to give a kind word? How about your husband? Has he quit talking to you like he used to when you were dating? Maybe it is because your responses to him have made him shut down. He is afraid to talk to you because he thinks you will respond with anger or frustration. Constant criticism is something that will tear down anyone and will hurt the receiver as well as the giver.
I'm praying for you all as I pray for myself. May God put kind words in our mouths, sweet words that are encouraging and uplifting.
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