GUARD YOUR MOUTH

GUARD YOUR MOUTH

"He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from trouble." Proverbs 21:23

I feel like I am in really good company. Yesterday could have been one of those embarrassing moments. This morning as I was waking, the Fox News team were laughing about an incident that occurred to a CNN reported during President Bush's news conference yesterday. Apparently a reporter went to the ladies room and didn't know her mic was still on. Rather than the tech team turning it off -- they left the mic run! Yikes.

Well that happened to me yesterday. During the morning service we were waiting for someone to come make an announcement and they were not there. I introduced the man from the Colony who was to give his testimony, walked off the platform and proceeded to walk out of the Raws Auditorium to find the person who was to make the announcement.

Little did I know that the mic was still on! Little did I know the long distance range of a remote mic! Thankfully what I said was minimal for my sanguine mouth. But everyone in the room heard my remarks. As I talked later with Robert and Joyce Hayes, we thought about how the Lord protected me ... it is scary to think what I MIGHT have said. And I am even more thankful that I WASN'T in the restroom.

As I reflected on this throughout the day, I was reminded again that my words can have devastating effects. The things that we say to others may not necessarily get broadcasted over a PA system, but think how many times our words are repeated to others -- sometimes the words can get twisted and taken out of context -- and people are hurt and offended because of the misuse of our tongues.

Sometimes we say things that we don't want anyone else to hear. Have you ever been in a situation where you were talking about someone thinking they weren't there only to discover that they were standing right there or in close proximity?

Next time you are ready to say something unkind, untrue or unnecessary -- ask yourself this question ... would I say this if I knew that my words were being broadcasted over the PA system in my church? Or in the boss's office?

Well think about it ... You may think no one hears what you say -- but God does! He hears it all -- a sobering thought.

Good words to consider today.

Great Quote: " . . . The great test of a man's character is his tongue." Oswald Chambers