Don’t Say It!

“Just whatever is on my mind is what I say.”

“I don’t worry about what people think, I just say whatever’s on my mind.”

You’ve probably heard people make these remarks. Unfortunately, you and I may have said them ourselves.

This is not God’s way. It doesn’t foster unity in the church, and it doesn’t help people know Christ.

God’s Word has a lot to do with what we think and what we say.

Let’s look at principles for when you speak and how you speak.

First, get your thinking right and you will get your speaking right. Saying what you think is not the problem. The problem is what you think.

The answer is changing the way we think.

I talk a lot. I speak for a living. I have plenty of opportunities to say something dumb, silly, embarrassing, or just plain rude. It’s imperative that I get my thinking right.

Years ago, I made Psalm 19:14 one of my life verses. I use this verse as part of my prayer time: “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

God is concerned with the way I think and the way I speak. I need His help to give me right thinking and right speaking.

Second, give yourself the option of saying nothing. You know the old saying: “Better to say nothing and be thought a fool than to say something and take away all doubt.” The Apostle James counseled us: “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry” (James 1:19).

Speech is a real problem. That’s why we are told repeatedly to be careful with our words.

Third, spend time in prayer about the words you speak. Especially when you have to deal with problems, ask God to give you wisdom.

A good rule of thumb is this: “Don’t talk until you have prayed.” If you have a thirty minute confrontation, you should spend the same amount of time in prayer.

God’s words through Paul are especially helpful: “Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying , as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear” (Ephesians 4:29).

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6 Responses

  1. This lesson was written for me. Sometimes u can’t believe what I said, but when I think about it, it wasn’t what I said or the way I said it. It was a thought just tumbling out in audible words. Thanks for the guides to thinking before speaking.

  2. Dr Bailey, thanks I know you were reminding us to be careful how and when to speak.
    Not to be angry so quickly, words spoken in anger cannot be retrevied .
    I appreciate your timely message today. Sincerely, Bonnie Ferguson

  3. Great post, thank you!!!

    I can promise you that if a sentence ever begins with the following words, “I don’t mean to offend (to be rude, to be mean), but….”

    It will absolutely be offensive, or rude, or mean.

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