Open Mouth – Insert Foot

I recently saw this on a sign….”Never say everything you’re thinking about, but always think about everything you’re saying.”

Words are so very powerful.  They are the primary way that we, as humans, communicate with others.  Once spoken they cannot be taken back, so that saying I quoted above speaks so much wisdom.  If we would only learn to always consider the ramifications – good or bad – of what we’re going to say, before we say them, it could make such a difference.  We wouldn’t find ourselves in the place where we’ve opened our mouth and wish we could insert our foot to stop the stream of words.

If you’ve ever been in any kind of relationship that turned sour, you know that sometimes words start flying before you’ve thought about the impact they will have on the other person(s).  Although you may, at least momentarily, think that you mean what you’re saying – if said in frustration or anger – later you may regret them.  Then it’s too late.  

“Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten.”  (Author Unknown)

The Bible is full of so much wisdom about our words.  I want to share just a couple of verses with you:

“Kind words bring life, but cruel words crush your spirit.”  (Proverbs 15:4 GNT)

“Speak without thinking, and your words can cut like a knife. Be wise, and your words can heal.”  (Proverbs 12:18 ERV)

I have been around people that seem like they are always so positive and upbeat and everything they say is uplifting and encouraging.  They are a pleasure to be around.  Yet reality tells us that they must have times of discouragement when they don’t feel so optimistic.  What do they do then?  I would guess that they have a strong faith that helps to bolster them and they lean into that rather than giving voice to the things the enemy loves for them to spew.  

I have also been around people that seem to constantly be negative – nothing is ever going right in their lives and they can’t mouth a single word of anything positive.  It’s a struggle just to be around them.  So why is their attitude such that they can’t seem to see any good in anything?  I would venture that they likely don’t have a very strong relationship with God, because words tend to reveal what’s in a person’s heart.

“Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.”  (Luke 6:45 ERV)    

Then you have the majority of us that tend to be a mix of those two scenarios.  We may have a good life and things are good for us but we will have times when we’re discouraged and it can be difficult to speak positive things.  So we neglect to lean on our God for wisdom and strength and then we may not guard our thoughts and tongues.  The result may be careless words we may regret and careless words are serious business. 

This is what Jesus had to say about it:  “‘Every one of these careless words is going to come back to haunt you. There will be a time of Reckoning. Words are powerful; take them seriously. Words can be your salvation. Words can also be your damnation.’”  (Matthew 12:36-37 (MSG)

We’re told in Matthew 5 that as Christians we should be a light to the world.  If we want to accomplish that, we can’t be and act like the lost of the world – we need to be above that – be a shining example.  In order to let our light shine we need to guard our words, remembering that words are not empty.

Written by Karran Martin – January 20, 2024