Hold Your Tongue
(Prov 12:23 MSG) Prudent people don't flaunt their knowledge; talkative fools broadcast their silliness.
This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon contrasts how the wise, in their prudence, are able to hold back their words and only speak them at the right time; whereas the foolish are so talkative that they broadcast their silliness. Have you every met a truly wise person? Who do you consider wise? Whoever they are, the chances are that they are not people of many words. They carefully think through what they are going to say and how they are to say it. Their words are premeditated and they come across as insightful and thought provoking. The thought behind their words causes us to think. They have spent years learning and accumulating knowledge and they are at the point in their lives that they are wise enough to only share what they know, when it needs to be shared. I often say, "The right thing at the wrong time becomes the wrong thing." I guess in this case I could say, "The right words at the wrong time become the wrong words." The wise hold back their words until the right time, so that when they speak their words can be received, understood and applied.
(Prov 12:23 MSG) Prudent people don't flaunt their knowledge; talkative fools broadcast their silliness.
This morning we continue our series, In this verse Solomon contrasts how the wise, in their prudence, are able to hold back their words and only speak them at the right time; whereas the foolish are so talkative that they broadcast their silliness. Have you every met a truly wise person? Who do you consider wise? Whoever they are, the chances are that they are not people of many words. They carefully think through what they are going to say and how they are to say it. Their words are premeditated and they come across as insightful and thought provoking. The thought behind their words causes us to think. They have spent years learning and accumulating knowledge and they are at the point in their lives that they are wise enough to only share what they know, when it needs to be shared. I often say, "The right thing at the wrong time becomes the wrong thing." I guess in this case I could say, "The right words at the wrong time become the wrong words." The wise hold back their words until the right time, so that when they speak their words can be received, understood and applied.
The Good News Bible translation of this verse says, "Smart people keep quiet about what they know, but stupid people advertise their ignorance." If it is true that the wise man is able to hold his tongue and only speak the right words at the right time, then the opposite is also true. The fool has no control over his tongue. The saying, "He can't hold water," applies to the fool in this case. He is always flowing. His mouth is stuck in the "on" position. Just like the wise person is a person of few words, the fool speaks non-stop. This is dangerous behavior for anyone, but much more for the fool. He does not have the wisdom the wise man has, and therefore, his constant speech exposes his ignorance.
There is a saying (attributed to too many people to give any one person credit) that says: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." The fool speak so much that everyone knows that they know, and the sad reality is that they don't know much. Invariably their much speaking gets them in trouble. If you keep your mouth shut you will never put your foot in it.
There is a saying (attributed to too many people to give any one person credit) that says: "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt." The fool speak so much that everyone knows that they know, and the sad reality is that they don't know much. Invariably their much speaking gets them in trouble. If you keep your mouth shut you will never put your foot in it.
So what does this mean to you ? It means that it is prudent to be careful about what you say and how you say it. Only share what needs to be shared, when it needs to be shared. This way your words will matter to others, because they will realize how much they matter to you. If you spend your days babbling, you will eventually get to the point where you won't even believe what you say!
Father, I thank You for Your wisdom. I am the prudent wise woman, not the talkative fool. I take the time to ensure my words are premeditated and calculated. The thought behind my words inspires thought in the hearers. I am dedicated to life-long learning and I thank You for teaching me Your wisdom, found in Your Word, but I will not allow arrogance to cause me to dilute what I know, because of a prideful spirit. I will speak out of humility and grace and my words will be received, believed and applied! In Jesus' name. Amen!
No comments:
Post a Comment