BBD 10.07.10 Just Talking (Classic)
Posted by: edwrather <edwrather@...>
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(A Devotional Classic from 2002)
10.07.10
Just Talking
In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips
is wise. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the
wicked is worth little. The lips of the righteous feed many, but fools die
for lack of wisdom. - Proverbs 10:19-21.
James Smith had an irritating habit - he talked incessantly. He talked all
the time; continually, even if no one was listening, James was still
talking. For those of us working with him on an oilfield crew (In 1975) it
was almost torture at times to hear the constant words flowing from the
mouth of Mr. Smith. It was especially irritating when we were driving from
one long job to another; and wanted to try to sleep, or at least rest a
little before we arrived at the new location. On one of those drives, James
was keeping us awake again, and in a two hour period the longest break in
the words from James was for a brief 30 seconds (We timed it.).
The crew members had had it, and one morning James received a surprise he
was not expecting. Several crew members tackled James, and with a large roll
of gray tape (duct tape) taped his hands, feet and mouth. They released
James a few minutes later, but he had gotten the point, and was much more
careful about the words he spoke in the future. It was a terribly
unchristian (and illegal) thing for any friend to do, or for anyone to do to
anyone; and James if you read this I do apologize, and hope and pray all is
well in your life.
"The tongue" as we are told in the Book of James "is a fire (James 3:6)."
Because the tongue is so powerful we must be very careful what we say and
how we say it. What may sound like beautiful music to our ears may be the
scratching of fingernails on a blackboard to someone else. Here are some
things to consider before speaking. First, consider not saying anything.
Second, you do not have to tell everything you know. Solomon says in
Proverbs 17:27-28, "He who has knowledge spares his words" and "Even a fool
is counted wise when he holds his peace." Third, you do not have to repeat
everything you hear (aka gossip). Solomon says in Proverbs 16:28, "A
perverse man sows strife, and a whisperer separates the best of friends." He
also says in Proverbs 17:9, "He who covers a transgression seeks love, but
he who repeats a matter separates friends." More than a few lives and
careers have been destroyed by gossip. Fourth, consider carefully what you
say before you say it. Solomon says in Proverbs 18:13, "He who answers a
matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him." Jumping to the
wrong conclusion, and allowing our mouths to share our conclusion with the
world can cause much pain.
Here are some additional words of wisdom for Solomon about our speech: "A
soft answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger. The tongue of
the wise uses knowledge rightly, but the mouth of fools pours forth
foolishness (Proverbs 15:1-2)." "He who guards his mouth preserves his life,
but he who opens wide his lips shall have destruction (Proverbs 13:3)."
"Death and life are in the power of the tongue (Proverbs 18:21)." Remember
that there is the power of life and death in the words we say. Let us not
just talk, but instead speak words of life.
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