Happy October, dear sisters in Jesus! I hope you’re all well. What’s the last thing that you ate today? If it was your foot, then this devotional may resonate with you. May all the words of our mouths . . . be pleasing in His sight and to His ears. Seeking to guard my mouth with you!
Let’s turn to Proverbs chapter 13 together so we can get wisdom that goes beyond the gold!
OPEN THEM, SHUT THEM
He (She) who guards his (her) lips guards his (her) life, but he (she) who speaks rashly will come to ruin.
Proverbs 13:3
Open them, shut them. Open them, shut them.
Give a little clap.
Open them, shut them. Open them, shut them.
Lay them in your lap.
This fun hands-on song for children is applicable to our lips. There is a time to open our mouths and a time to shut them. To get the timing right, we must guard the gate of our lips with God’s wisdom!
The wise open their lips . . .
- To speak what is right, true, good, and honest (Proverbs 8:6, 12:19, 12:14, 24:26).
- To nourish other people’s souls with hope and healing (Proverbs 10:21, 12:18).
- To share knowledge, understanding, and wisdom (Proverbs 15:7).
- To speak what is pleasant, beautiful, and kind (Proverbs 16:24)
- To say what is fitting and appropriate (Proverbs 10:32)
With many of us having to admit that we’re rarely at a loss for words, can it be said of you and me that we only open our lips to speak what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen (Ephesians 4:29)? Do our words give life and preserve life? Is the motive behind our words to uplift and extend grace?
If not, we need to shut our lips! Wise women stop talking when they’re tempted to fault-find, grumble, complain, gossip, lie, exaggerate, and criticize. If these words reflect our patterns of speech around the dinner table, at lunch break, via email, or even during prayer request times within our small groups, we need to get to the root of the matter and it’s not our lips – it’s our heart!
What we say reflects the condition of our heart. Jesus said, For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man (woman) brings good things out of the good stored up in him (her), and the evil man (woman) brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him (her) (Matthew 12:34-35). When the Holy Spirit controls our words and the motives behind them, wise and edifying words will be sure to follow.
Be wise and make David’s prayer your own. Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips (Psalm 141:3).
Wisdom Step: Not sure if you should open your lips or shut them? Lay your words in His lap – surrendering the motives of the heart to Him.
The words we say not only have shelf life, but have the ability to shape life. Choose well.
Bob Goff
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