Daily Word: Guarding Your Mouth

Proverbs 21:23 says: He who guards his mouth and tongue guards himself from trouble. (JPS) The Jewish Study Bible comments: "The importance of controlling one's speech, to avoid blurting out offensive or stupid things." The power of speech is almost beyond our ability to comprehend. Have the words of Jesus loss any of their power today? When you speak His words, do they have a special power? They do, because words have power. If you speak a kind word to someone, do those words have the power to create love or joy? If you speak harshly, can you create anger or frustration? Yes, your words have power, and the writer of this Proverb gives us specific advice concerning our mouths.

When I was a young man, my parents took me to Canada. I remember watching the changing of the guard. The soldiers were dressed in special uniforms with red coats and tall black hats. They looked funny to me, but they were so serious. People would try and get them to laugh or smile, but they would not. They were very somber. They marched carefully and deliberately in front of their assigned post. They would not be deterred or distracted. The writer of Proverbs tells us to guard our mouths. We need to have the same approach in regard to our words that the soldiers had about guarding the building. We need to be diligent, serious, and continual in the watching of our words.

Today, ask your self, do you have a guard over your mouth? Do you watch carefully what you speak? We need to because the verse teaches us that if we will do so, we will guard ourselves from trouble. Notice the obvious, your speech can lead to trouble. We know that, so why don't we do something about it?