“The mouth of the righteous is a fountain of life…” (Psalm 10:11 NASB)
I don’t do Facebook, but I do receive postings from people I know, as well as strangers. Yesterday I received one that was a self-rating tool that individuals could use to determine if they were prone to be silent or outspoken. The predicted answer, which is more the wrong answer than a right answer in most cases, was based on your birth month. One person I have known since they were a teenager was rated as 1000% blunt. Her response was, “Whatever!” As I scrolled down, looking at different responses, another person wrote, “Who gives us credit for all of the stuff we don’t say? I need that added to my account.”
Well today, for that person and for all of you who discern when it is time to not say what initially, immediately comes to mind, keeping it internal and not permitting it to invade the end of your tongue, let me tell you that you have been doing great! I applaud every time that you have controlled your tongue to keep a conversation from escalating or a relationship from deteriorating! I’m presenting you with an invisible trophy for every time that you knew it was not the right time to say what was on your mind! You have made the honor roll for all the times that you asked a thought-provoking question to someone’s comment, revealing their errant thinking and causing the speaker to re-examine their words! And hurrah for speaking from a factual perspective, as opposed to an emotional or positional perspective! Almost done with the positive feedback, but I have to add another figuratively pat you on your back, for all those times when you recognized that what needed to be said was urgent and your words were intended to steer someone from impending danger or false teaching! Yet even then you earn one additional pat on the back because you stated what needed to be said properly; using the right tone, the right pitch, the right volume, the right cadence, and the right rate of speed, merely stating a non-emotional truth! Wonderful job! Well done!
I hope that I have made you feel better! Tuesday is waiting for you! Keep doing the right things! Keep managing, taming your tongue! Before I close, let me assure you of a certain truth. God gives you credit on your account. Be blessed!
P.S.
Let the Bible be your measuring stick and not every blurb you see on social media. Smile! But I’m serious!
“A right time to shut up and another to speak up.” (Ecclesiastes 3:7b The Message Bible)
Still committed to the climb,
Mark L. King