Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105
Proverbs 21
Proverbs 21:23 He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity. NIV.
The account of David’s interaction with Nabal and Abigail in 2 Samuel 25 illustrates the principle of this verse. Nabal is the foil for the proper use of his tongue. He disrespects David’s men and demeans David as a brigand and thief. Infuriated, David intends to avenge this affront and destroy Nabal and his family. When the perceptive servants inform Abaigail of Nabal’s actions, she understands the ramifications. She provides ample supplies and intercepts David before any destruction happens. In so doing she demonstrates the value of using speech in a wise manner to diffuse a tense situation and result in an appropriate solution.
Several years ago, I read a helpful book: Zip It by Karen Ehman. This book provided valuable guidelines on how to identify and remedy the misuse of speech. She identifies six destructive potentials for how we interact with others: judgmentalism, criticism, sarcasm, negativity, complaining, and gossip. I sensed that I had a tendence to utilize three or four of these on a fairly regular basis. Since I read the book I pray almost daily that God keep my speech from these traits and that I might use my speech to express thoughtfulness, helpfulness, inspiring words, nurturing statements, and kindness. How much better it is to speak with the integration of truth and love.
For anyone who might relate to the tendency to regret what one has said, I recommend this book as a starting point to examine how you might face your speech patterns and with God’s help surrender these to become people who bring truth in love with the things you say.
Father, grant me the grace to speak truth in love (Ephesians 4:14). Amen
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