O be Careful Big Mouths- 3 Steps to Bridling Your Tongue

"Oh be careful little eyes what you see. Oh be careful little ears what you hear. Oh be careful big mouths what you say."

Why We Need to be Careful 

Words have power, and as Christians, they are a direct witness to the people around you. There should be a careful guard on our mouths at all times. 

As a friend of mine says, "engage the brain to mouth filter"! 

The Bible has plenty to say about our words. 

Matthew 15:16-20 (MSG) Jesus replied, "You, too? Are you being willfully stupid? Don't you know that anything that is swallowed works its way through the intestines and is finally defecated? But what comes out of the mouth gets its start in the heart. It's from the heart that we vomit up evil arguments, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, lies, and cussing. That's what pollutes. Eating or not eating certain foods, washing or not washing your hands — that is neither here nor there." 

Psalms 34:13 says “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.” 

James 1:26-27 (Easy-to-Read Version) says “You might think you are a very religious person. But if your tongue is out of control, you are fooling yourself. Your careless talk makes your offerings to God worthless. The worship that God wants is this: caring for orphans or widows who need help and keeping yourself free from the world’s evil influence. This is the kind of worship that God accepts as pure and good.” 

When we fail to control our words there are consequences. We offend and we become stumbling blocks to those around us. Matthew says those that offend little ones (Small in stature but also small in faith) it is better that a millstone be put around their neck. 

There are three things you can do to begin to change the way you speak. 

STEP 1 

Repent. (This just means acknowledge your sin and ask forgiveness) 

Job said “Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.” 

STEP 2 

Renew Your Thinking – we do this by reading the word and by submission to God. 

Ephesians says “change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.” 

STEP 3 

When you mess up and you will miss the mark repeat step 1 and 2. 

Do you have a hard time controlling what you say?  Leave your comments about your struggles and victories below.