Living in a free society with the ability to speak and write freely about our opinions and beliefs is a precious thing. Couple that with living in an age when virtually anyone and everyone has the ability to make himself or herself heard and you have a complex situation. There are many advantages as well as some disadvantages to this reality. My purpose is not to evaluate the situation but rather to point out the need for some self-regulation. A certain Walmart shopper, with whom I am not acquainted, but I overheard yesterday as she passed by me surely needed some self-regulation of her speech. Certainly all of us from politicians to pastors to housewives to church members, etc.
have a need to self-regulate our precious free-speech. I am in favor of free-speech but I am also in favor of the exercise of wisdom. Jesus was very straightforward,
“I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:36-37, NASU) I shudder when I read that passage.
James 3 presents controlling one’s speech as a most difficult task, but may I recommend Proverbs as a most helpful guide that you and I can use to help us self-regulate our speech? Proverbs 9:10 lays the foundation, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” (NASU) Perhaps it is worth remembering that God spoke the world into existence: creation pours forth “speech” about the majesty of God (Psalm 19); God hears our speech; God wants us to speak to Him; Scripture repeatedly invites us to hear the Word of the Lord; we are reconciled to God through the confession of our mouth; we teach and train and disciple through our speech; we build up and tear down with our speech. There is no chance of sticking with the plan of controlling our speech without a healthy respect, awe, and fear of our Creator and Judge.
Proverbs 4:24 is a good place to begin, “Put away from you a deceitful mouth And put devious speech far from you.” (NASU) We cannot have satisfactory relationships of any kind if we do not keep ourselves from speaking deceitfully. Proverbs 6:12-14 can lead us into more peaceful lives and reduce our discomfort come judgement day, “A worthless person, a wicked man, Is the one who walks with a perverse mouth, Who winks with his eyes, who signals with his feet, Who points with his fingers; Who with perversity in his heart continually devises evil, Who spreads strife.” (NASU) We ought to take this admonition very seriously and heed its warning. Many of us who think of ourselves as “watchmen of the wall” or “keepers of the faith” would do well to examine ourselves to see if we are guilty of spreading strife. The word of Scripture is plain here concerning one who spreads strife: “A worthless person, a wicked man”.
Grace should be prominent in our speech. Colossians 4:6 “Let your speech always be with grace, as though seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should respond to each person.” (NASU) Ephesians 4:29 “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.”(NASU) We are commanded to make all our speech seasoned with grace. I am ashamed.
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