“Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. To draw near to listen is better than to offer the sacrifice of fools… Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. For… a fool’s voice [comes with] with many words.
“When you vow a vow to God, do not delay paying it, for he has no pleasure in fools. Pay what you vow. It is better that you should not vow than that you should vow and not pay. Let not your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger that it was a mistake. Why should God be angry at your voice and destroy the work of your hands? For when… words grow many, there is vanity; but God is the one you must fear.” “The more words, the more vanity, and what is the advantage to man?” Ecclesiastes 5:1-7; 6:11
“Jesus… was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white… Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.’ For he did not know what to say… A cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him.'” Mark 6:2-7
“When words are many, transgression is not lacking,
but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.”
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life;
he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.”
“Whoever restrains his words has knowledge,
and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.
Even a fool who keeps silent is considered wise;
when he closes his lips, he is deemed intelligent.” Proverbs 10:19; 13:3; 17:27–28
“Charge them before God not to quarrel about words, which does no good, but only ruins the hearers. Do your best to… rightly [handle] the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene.” 2 Timothy 2:14-17
Bridling the tongue for righteousness is called for and colorfully illustrated throughout Scripture. The Lord God created tongues for many a good purpose, and we are wise to set right our hearts and them to His tempo if we intend to use them for His greatest good. Understanding His warnings and applying discipline help to direct our tongues toward edifying, wise reactions and words. (Proverbs 25:11; James 3:6-10)
Unless we establish the tone by surrendering the tongue at start of day, we are likely to get caught off beat. Pelleted by pressures, shaken by surprising news, offended or unexpectedly upset by a loved one, we can let words fly like sparks. The desire to be slow to anger is easily jostled awry by circumstance and emotion. O, that we would appropriate self-control! (Nehemiah 5:6-7; Job 5:6-11; Galatians 5:22-23; James 1:19-20)
Who and what set the cadence of our voices? Are we easily swayed and driven by compulsion, or careful to choose words? Are we wont to blurt out on first impulse, or can we react under the Spirit’s measured control? Does our tone of voice betray impatience, or the Lord’s gracious filter? Do we say what we mean, and mean what we say?
Lord, please set the content and tempo of my tongue to lift others up and bring You glory.
As the rain and snow 