James 1:19  Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.

During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, we need to exercise self-control when it comes to our words. Kindness is often a rarity these days, and words are often spoken out of our frustrations, so we need to be mindful of the fact that the world needs Jesus, and we may be the only Jesus they see. My dad always used to say, “Think twice before you say anything!”  As a young person, there were times when that saying drove me crazy, but now as an adult, I look back and realize what great advice that was.  If we all took the time to stop before we allowed words to come out of our mouths daily and really thought twice before we spoke, I wonder how much would go unsaid.  If fewer words were spoken in anger and less “off the cuff” advice was given, and there was less gossip spreading through our circles, how much pain would it save others as well as us?

It is amazing how many verses there are throughout the Bible that speak of having control of our tongues and that hasty words spoken quite often are foolishness.  This is quite obviously something God knows we struggle with and also knows how important it is for us to learn to control our words.  

I have always been a talker, and I believe that is why my Dad made sure to emphasize that I needed to be careful with my words.  There are days I could talk the hind leg off a mule, so if I am not careful, there is a very good possibility I could say way more than needs to be said.  I have prayed over and over throughout my life that God will guide my heart to know when to bite my tongue.  As long as I give that area to Him continually, it works for His glory, but I know I cannot have an unbridled tongue as a woman of many words.  Choose to learn to speak life over yourself and your friends and family.  In fact, we need to learn to be people who speak life over and to all the people we meet.  As Christians, we should be known for speaking life.  The world is pushing for people to just say whatever comes to mind or whatever they feel like saying, to the point where now some of the most repulsive words have become an everyday language for too many women and men alike.  We are smarter than that, and I am sure we can find better words that are more fitting and God-honoring.  

Anger seems to bring out the worst words at times, and that is the time we need to be the most guarded.  Too many words spoken in anger have destroyed relationships and people.  As Thumper’s parents told him, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.”  You cannot take your words back, so it is vital to think about that before you speak them.  Choose your words carefully!   Keep this in mind when you are about to say something out of your anger: “How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.” We have all had moments in our lives when we have said something and then wished we could take it back, but the problem is we can’t get them back, and the damage done can be devastating.

If we can make a point of making sure that the words that come out of our mouths are always spoken in a way that will glorify God, we are sure not to hurt, anger, or offend unnecessarily.  It doesn’t mean we will never upset others; Jesus upset the Pharisees all the time, but the words will be spoken in a way that allows God to use them instead of covering them.  Ask God today to help and guide you in this area, whether you feel as though it is an area you struggle in or not. We can all improve in this area by becoming more like Him so we can shine His light and life to all those around us.