O be careful little mouth what you say O be careful little mouth what you say There’s a Father up aboveAnd He’s looking down in love So, be careful little mouth what you sayPretty is as pretty does
I was walking in the parking lot and I heard the most profane comments, including the Lord’s name linked to profanity. The voice was young. I stopped and turned around. Three girls and a boy were walking behind me; none over 15 years of age. I looked at the girl with profanity flying off her lips and wanted to tell her how pretty she was … until she opened her mouth. Her words made her ugly. Not cool, cute or popular. They made her ugly. You can dress up like a princess all day long, but one flow of inappropriate words will destroy that image.
The woman pushing the cart in front of me was on her phone talking loudly. “Now this is between just you and me. But, she ….”. Really? There were about ten others in earshot listening to her gossip. If she had been quietly shopping others would have thought her to be a diligent mom out shopping to feed her family. Her words made her a gossip and she spewed hurt and shame on an unsuspecting audience that may or may not know her victim.
I hear so many words coming out of mouths that grieve the spirit within me. Parents to children; children to other children. People lying, calling others names. Gossiping, half-truths … words, words, words. I think Christians need to be very cautious in this area and not fall into the world’s standard of speech. God’s word has a lot to say about our words:James 1:19 “Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;”
James 1:26
“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.”
James 3:6
“The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.” (You should read all of James 3:1-9).
Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”
God expects us as parents to make sure our children hear the correct things to say. The shows, video games, computer games that they watch, influence their speech. In our house I did not allow my girls to call each other stupid, idiot, jerk or other demeaning terms. We do not say shut up. Speech is important to developing a Godly character. Sadly, some parents think it is not anything to worry about. However, speech is a sign of respect. God thinks a lot about the words we say. The verses above are only a sampling of how He wants us to guard our speech.
If we are not guarding our speech then we are not guarding their speech; we are not guarding their minds. If we are not guarding their minds, we are not guarding their souls. What they think to say becomes their speech. Their speech reflects in their actions, their actions in their character. It all starts with a word … then more words.
“O be careful little mouth what you say …”
Lights in the Storm 