Saturday night, my family and I were at a party with friends. We had hotdogs, (ok, they all had hotdogs), chili, special tea (I really like special tea), a hayride and other fall festivities. Near the end of the night, our conversation turned to the time change. Daylight savings time was about to end and we were all reminding each other to “roll the clocks back” and “fall back” an hour. One of my friends made a comment that she was so thankful to have an extra hour sleep. Me, being convinced she had it backwards, told her we were losing an hour of sleep.
She and I (playfully) bantered back and forth about gaining/losing sleep. She was convinced she was correct. I was convinced I was correct. It was getting late, the party was winding down, and we all went home.
For later purposes, please keep in mind, my husband was paying close attention to our conversation. I knew he heard us; however, I was completely unaware he was taking what I was saying…to heart.
The next day, I learned I was incorrect and my friend was correct. But Mike hadn’t learned I was incorrect.
The next evening, Mike said, “I am so sleepy. Losing that hour of sleep really got to me.”
Ooooooops…I had "openeth wide my lips” when I should have “keepethed them slammed shut."
To increase that ooooooops…Mike had actually slept longer the night before than previous nights! In other words, not only had he gotten an extra hour of sleep, he had also slept in by at least an hour the following morning. So even though he had had over two hours extra sleep, just because of my words he believed he had lost sleep. Uuuuugh, I should have keepethed my lips shutteth. I am in a King James kind of mood today!
I had to try and convince him I was wrong about losing the hour of sleep. What I had done was not easily undone! He has so much confidence in me, and what I say, it was very difficult to convince him I was wrong and my friend was right.
We have powerful influence over our families and in our “circles". The words we speak are not just idle words. (Matthew 12:36) We can unknowingly (or knowingly) poison our families and friends by merely speaking what, in our opinion may be, words that don’t really matter. I cannot tell you how many times someone makes the following comment to me, “I remember when you said ___(fill in the blank___) and what I said could have been five years ago! At times, their comment makes me cringe! People can change in five years!
We must "keepeth" our lips!
It is possible,
to take our own insecurities/issues,
project them on someone else,
and
misguide our family and friends (and others)
simply by the words we speak.
Ever observe a mother/stepmother or a wife/mother-in-law (just to name a few) power struggle?
I will give an example of an incident in my own life. Please bear with me because I have since gained the victory over this, glory to God!
There is a powerful evangelist who my husband and friends listen to. Years ago, Mike brought home a cd of this evangelist and told me to listen to it. He said, "This teaching will change your life!" I said, “I can’t. His voice drives me up a wall. I cannot stand to listen to him. I don’t get anything out of his teaching because I cannot tolerate his voice.”
Since then, God has revealed (through the life giving lips of a girlfriend) I was walking in offense against a man who had hurt me as a child and that man’s voice reminded me of this particular evangelist. I had projected the offense onto an innocent man.
I was refusing powerful, anointed teachings…not in any way because of the evangelist who was teaching…but because of offense. Not only was this offense affecting me, it was affecting those around me through me.
We do not want to do that!
Please make the following confession with me:
Father, in the name of Jesus, we let our speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that we may know how we ought to answer every man. We have joy by the answer of our mouth: and words spoken in due season, how good it is! We speak good words making us glad! We have a wise heart, teaching our mouth and adding learning to our lips! Thank You Father for teaching us the importance of our words! And thank You for teaching us to keepeth our lips!
Colossians 4:6
Proverbs 15:23
Proverbs 12:25
Proverbs 16:23, 24
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