“Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin.”
This verse certainly does have to do with the things we say, but I think if Solomon were alive today, he would definitely include social media posts. It’s also easy to read this and think, “Nobody is being put to death for what they say these days.” And although that’s true in the United States, it is certainly not true worldwide. We know of many countries where speaking against the ruling party or representing the opposition can cost you your life. This proverb is speaking to us, though, about more than just our physical existence. The influence our lives can have, our productivity, and our opportunities to serve and encourage others are greatly enhanced when we guard our lips. Things are said that can disqualify folks from leadership. Things are said that can push other people away to the point that they don’t want what you have to offer. So many things are said that lives are impacted daily, for better or worse, by speech in all its forms, every moment of every day. The challenge for us as followers of Jesus is to govern our speech in such a way that we speak life. We live in a world that speaks death, darkness, and destruction, which gives us a tremendous opportunity to gently speak life in the midst of it. It can be unpopular, or it can be hard, but it is our responsibility as followers of Christ to speak the life He offers in every situation. Sometimes speaking life means being quiet. How’s that for a conundrum? When we don’t feel the need to always say what we think, what we believe, or where we think we are right, our silence can be as powerful as speaking into those situations. The bottom line is that when we listen to the Spirit, we more often than not stay quiet. Then, when we do speak, we reflect the heart of our Savior. Today, speak life. #BeTheEdge
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 NIV
