Does It Need to Be Said

I sometimes struggle with this. I like to be involved in the conversation and put in my two cents (well probably fifty cents with inflation). I’ve heard the phrase, “There is a reason God gave you two ears and only one mouth!” There is that tendency, for some, to act as if we had two mouths and only ½ an ear. I often pray, as I head off to a Men’s Study on Wednesday mornings, “Lord, help me to know when to keep my mouth closed and when to speak up”. This concept isn’t just for a social setting, but for at home with family, when we interact with someone at work, or wherever we happen to be. I might have shared this before, but I ran across the following poem today, “A wise old owl sat on an oak. The more he saw the less he spoke. The less he spoke the more he heard. Why can’t we be like that wise old bird.” There is so much to see, to observe, to soak in, and to ponder. When we always have to lead the conversation, we may miss out on a lot of what God wants us to see. James 1:19ff might be addressing anger, but it has greater implications too - “My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.” Our anger is often brought on because we don’t listen and consider where others were coming from. We read again in Proverbs 21:23, “He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity”. Our tongue can be a dangerous thing. The more we speak, the more likely that sin will creep in through false witness, lying, coveting, and dishonoring. I believe that is what King Solomon was saying in Proverbs 10:19, “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise”. The last verse that I was going to look at for now is Proverbs 18:13, “He who answers before listening — that is his folly and his shame”. We need to contemplate the damage that an untamed tongue can cause and commit to seeking to serve God more faithfully. I remember hearing someone challenge speakers to ask themselves three questions, which are, “Is it true?”, “Is It necessary?”, “Is it kind?” Those can good rules to follow, at least as a starting point. Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you. Lord, help me to take greater stock in what I say and direct me, by Your Holy Spirit, to bring the true words of life to others. Amen