We Need to Watch Our Mouths

“Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips.” (Psalm 141:3 NIV)

I recently read a parenting book by Ted Tripp which posed the question,if someone was to record how you talked to your children, what would be recorded? What would you be caught saying on tape? How would your tone sound? It was convicting, and I knew I wouldn’t want to hear a recording of myself failing to speak with grace.

The advancement of technology has brought many new and fun apps. I love staying in contact with friends through apps like Voxer and Marco Polo. They make long-distance relationships feel less distant.

I was listening to a Voxer message one day from a friend from out of state. In the course of listening to the message, I went to check on my puppy, who was outside in our fenced-in yard. As my eyes canvassed the yard and I didn’t see her, my heart started to race. I rounded the corner of the house and saw that our side gate had been left open. My puppy was on her way to the street. While I live on a relatively quiet cul-de-sac, the lady across the street runs an in-home daycare, and it was her busy pick-up time.

I stopped the Voxer message and put my phone in my pocket.

I started calling my dog’s name and running towards her. She, of course, thought it was a game and began running faster away from me.

Thankfully, someone who was picking up their kids across the street was getting out of their car, and my puppy ran right towards them and let them love on her until I could get to her.

I was able to get ahold of my puppy’s collar and walk her back to our house.

Once I was in the house with the door shut, I lost it.

“WHO LEFT THE SIDE GATE OPEN?” I shouted.

I unleashed anger, frustration, and fear of what could have happened onto my kids even though my puppy was now safe in our home.

After my screaming fit, I went into my bedroom to calm down, now frustrated with myself.

After a couple of deep breaths, I pulled out my phone to continue listening to my friend’s message and was overcome with fear. Instead of turning Voxer off, I had started to record a message back to her, and my phone was still recording.

I stopped the recording as fast as I could. I started to play back my recorded message, hoping that because my phone was in my pocket, it would be muffled, and she would not be able to hear anything.

Wrong.

I heard myself calling my puppy’s name. I heard myself panting as I was running to her. I heard myself clearly thank the person who had caught her. I heard the door to my house shut.

I heard myself scream at my children.

As if I didn’t feel bad about screaming already, now I was humiliated that someone else would also be witness to my behavior. But isn’t there someone else who always witnesses our failings?

I tried to see if I could delete the message but couldn’t figure out how. I sent a quick text telling my friend to disregard the five-minute message and said it was an accidental recording of me running after my dog. I left out the part about me screaming at my kids.

I’m not sure if my friend ever listened to the message or not. If she did, she never mentioned it to me.

I apologized to my kids for my screaming at them for leaving the gate open and calmly explained the importance of being diligent in keeping it shut. I told them the story of how I had lost a dog who got out through an insecure fence and was hit by a car. They forgave me.

Here’s the thing, though: I was concerned about my friend hearing how I screamed at my kids, but God hears everything that comes out of my mouth. Beyond that, he knows all my thoughts. I went to him and sought forgiveness for the way I spoke and asked him to help me.

Our words hold power. They can build up or tear down. How we speak to others is just as important as what we speak. We need to watch our mouths.

Dear heavenly Father, please forgive me when words I have spoken have not been glorifying to your name. Please forgive me for unwholesome talk and a harsh tone. Lord, I want all I say to be words that build others up and point others to you. Help me to use my words, whether spoken or written, for your good. Give me the power to hold my tongue when needed. In Jesus name, Amen.

Scripture for Reflection

“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (Ephesians 4:29 NIV)

“The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” (Proverbs 12:18 NIV)

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21 NIV)

“A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” (Luke 6:45 NIV)

Reach for More

Have you been convicted about what you have said or the way you have said it? If someone was to record how you spoke to others, would they hear words that built others up, or would they hear words that pierce like swords? I challenge you to be mindful of your words, and when you recognize unkind or unwholesome talk, seek forgiveness. Additionally, go to the Lord and explore your heart for the root cause.

Heather Gerwing is living the full life with her husband, Jeff, four kids, and a dog in Metro Detroit. Heather enjoys reading, writing, coffee-ing, and serving in youth ministry. She was born a Jersey girl and feels most at home on a beach. She is the host of the monthly link-up, Share Four Somethings. You can join Heather on the journey to living the full life at www.heathergerwing.com.

Photograph © Sai de Silva, used with permission