The title of today’s devotion is a phrase that has probably come out of our mouths at one point or another. Maybe you said it to a child, or to someone in the movie theater, library, hospital, in the classroom or even at a church gathering. As I think back to the full-nest days with four kids who were just five years apart, I recall saying things like; “use your inside voices”, “shhh”, or “quiet”. There were times that I used those expressions in a calm manner and then there were those times when I said them sternly or even brutally. Oh, how I wish that I could take those explosive words back. If I could go back in time, knowing what I know now, I would have been a much better parent as oftentimes my harshness only made things worse, not better. Going forward I need to remember that wise words come from a wise heart and a wise author of Proverbs 15 reminds us that; “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.” Proverbs 15:1
When we’re angry and just “let it fly” so to speak, without thinking of the consequences, it’s a guarantee that remorse will set in and we will end up wishing we could take those words back. But once the words are out of our mouths, or once we hit “send” on that belittling social media post, ouch, it’s too late! Sometimes those words lead to actions. Road rage comes to mind, and I occasionally see it play out in real time during my daily commute. Coincidentally the word wrath means rage. I think that every continent, country, and culture has a universal problem-yielding to fleshly anger. This is where the Gospel can transform. It gives us strength to do what we might find impossible to do on our own. The only way to ensure we don’t speak harshly—foolishly—is to exercise self-control before the words leave our mouths! Friends, our fleshly reactions don’t need to control us anymore. The Spirit can help us make wise choices and give us the desire to honor God and others with our words, no matter how hard the conflict might be.
When we’re angry and just “let it fly” so to speak, without thinking of the consequences, it’s a guarantee that remorse will set in and we will end up wishing we could take those words back. But once the words are out of our mouths, or once we hit “send” on that belittling social media post, ouch, it’s too late! Sometimes those words lead to actions. Road rage comes to mind, and I occasionally see it play out in real time during my daily commute. Coincidentally the word wrath means rage. I think that every continent, country, and culture has a universal problem-yielding to fleshly anger. This is where the Gospel can transform. It gives us strength to do what we might find impossible to do on our own. The only way to ensure we don’t speak harshly—foolishly—is to exercise self-control before the words leave our mouths! Friends, our fleshly reactions don’t need to control us anymore. The Spirit can help us make wise choices and give us the desire to honor God and others with our words, no matter how hard the conflict might be.