Slow to speak

"This you know, my beloved brethren. But everyone be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. For the anger of man does achieve the righteousness of God"

 James 1:19-20

 

We've heard it a million times but a very important part of this verse gets overlooked more often than not. I have heard a hundred sermons on being quick to hear and slow to anger but what about slow to speak. I am currently doing a bible study on anger and controlling the tongue.

 

 Hi, my name is Katie

 and I have problems controlling the tongue!

 

It occurs to me that if this is my weakness, I know this is my weakness, and I want to fix it then I need to go straight to the Word and find out what God says about it.

 

What I found was God doesn't just want us to check the quality of our words

but also the QUANTITY.

 

This was a foreign thought from everything I had ever heard on the subject. And that's really saying something considering I was assigned a paper on controlling the tongue almost weekly growing up, as a punishment for....well not!

 

" If any man (or woman) thinks himself religious

 and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless"

 James 1:26

 

How often do we let our tongues take control instead of controlling it. I know I am guilty of this.

 

"He who restrains his words has knowledge"

 Proverbs 17:27

 

Why do we feel the need to constantly talk?

 Do we have that much to say or does it just make us feel important?

 

"When there are many words,

 transgression is unavoidable.

 But he who restrains his lips is wise"

 Proverbs 10:19

 

Unavoidable is a pretty strong word.

 Looks like I have my work cut out for me. I want to avoid transgressing and according to God's perfect and holy word one tip towards that goal is to be slow to speak. To limit my speech and ensure that the words leaving my lips are God glorifying.