Whoever guards his mouth, preserves his life, whoever widens his lips, will be overtaken by destruction (Proverbs 13:3)
My words will not only have an impact on others, but will also have an impact on myself. When I speak evil words, I not only reveal the sin in my heart (Luke 6:45), but also cultivate that sin and make it grow. Jesus said that it is not what goes into the mouth, but what comes out of the mouth that is unclean. James put it another way, “The tongue . . . can stain the whole body” (James 3:6). An uncontrolled tongue will self-destruct.
On the other hand, when I refuse to respond to dirty, bad, and vain thoughts, it means I begin to choke on evil in my soul.
That is why the wise man in Proverbs 13:3 says that we must guard our mouths. When we do, we stop the evil that is quietly eating away at the roots of our souls. Do we want to put an end to the evil that so easily arises within us? With God's help, we must learn to control our tongue.
You might say, "I tried, but I can't control it." James agrees that, “No one has the power to tame the tongue” (James 3:8). But Jesus can. Ask Him to watch over your mouth (Psalm 141:3), and leave the control of your tongue to Him.
Let us echo the hymn of Frances Havergal: "Take my lips and let my lips be filled with tidings that glorifies You" --David Roper
WHO KEEPS HIS MOUTH AND TONGUE KEEPS HIMSELF
FROM DIFFICULTY -Proverbs 21:23
FROM DIFFICULTY -Proverbs 21:23
*) Take from Daily Meditation