Rein It In!

Proverbs 21:23 (HCSB) ~

 

The one who guards his mouth and tongue
keeps himself out of trouble.

 

I don't know about you, but I regularly find myself in trouble with this one.  Usually, it's in the heat of the moment and I let the words fly without stopping to think what I'm saying.  I'm not talking about anger, but general carelessness in my speech.

 

I'm fairly transparent and trusting and it's easy for me to think everyone is my best friend.  So I have to work hard at realizing that not everyone has my best interest at heart nor should everyone be so easily trusted with my innermost thoughts.  I'm genuinely shocked and hurt when people take what I've shared and turn it around on me.  It's hard for me to imagine that another believer could be so unkind.  And I also have to constantly check my own motives in sharing something.  What is the purpose?  To be beneficial or to just say my piece?

 

So this morning when I opened up to read a bit in Proverbs and saw this verse, it was my "Aha!" moment.  Many of the situations I find myself in would be averted if I would keep things to myself more.  It's a fine line though.  I think my transparency at times does help others and that has been confirmed by many.  I have had many women throughout the years that they appreciate that quality because it helps them realize they are not alone and to understand that God could work through an issue in her life.

 

So I don't want to become someone I'm not.  But I think a good rule of thumb is to think a bit and not have to share every thing that pops into my head.

 

This same rule of the thumb should go for Facebook.  The biggest weakness I see with that social tool is that people feel the need to share everything.  Every thought.  Every struggle.  Every moment of their lives is put out there for the world to see.  I've been pulling back quite a bit from Facebook because it gets exhausting after a while.

 

Anyway, I'm working on implementing this in my life and keeping a very tight rein on that tongue!

 

James 3:5-6 (MSG) ~

 

It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire. A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that. By our speech we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it, smoke right from the pit of hell.