Let’s Watch What We Say

Focus: James 3:2 - KJV

2. For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.

Matthew 12:34-37

One major way by which men offend one another is through the words spoken. Incidentally, when a word is spoken, it is difficult to recant. It already has an effect on the person spoken to, or about. More often than not, when negative things are spoken, they are spoken about an absent actor; and when the expression is being played back to the recipient actor, it may have a little addition to it and the mannerism in which it is presented may also be different and clearly offensive. If the words of Vashti were kindly relayed to king Ahasuerus, Vashti may not have lost her crown. But by the way her message was delivered, an offense was formed in the king. Before you realized it, the queen’s faith was decided by the Court without allowing her defend herself. In another light, Haman’s hatred for Mordecai made him make pronouncements against the entire Jewish nation, and when the table turned, it led to the killing of many people, unnecessarily.

What the Lord wants of us today is to resolve to speak less and listen more. Indeed, we are expected to refrain from talking except when necessary. It is really counter-productive to take over discussions or refuse to allow other participants in a discussion to speak as that itself is a source of offense without considering the content of the thing said. In a multitude of words, there is bound to be sin. If we do not offend in words, the tendency to offend at all will be quite slim and the world will be a better place.

SOLUTION: Let us please zip up as much as possible to forestall offense. Never say a thing unless it is extremely necessary. Some are even waiting to pick and hold on to your words. Please do not allow the devil to get you through what you say. Nothing said, nothing to quote.

Please pray:

·      Thank God for giving you a voice amongst men and making you relevant in the affairs of many

·      Ask God to help you in bridling your tongue so that it does not become an instrument of the devil in ensnaring you

·      Tell God to forgive you of every wrong use of your mouth in the past that had brought you to sin

·      Pray for all those who had raised their tongues against you in judgment that the Lord may show them mercy and cause them to have a change of heart

·      Ask God to restore to you all that you had lost by reason of the wrong use of words

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