“The Ability to Speak in Several Languages Is an Asset, but the Ability to Keep Our Mouths Shut in Any Language Is Priceless.”

I like to talk would be an understatement, probably why I am a preacher. Most who preach like to talk. What is hard for me is to be quiet. I believe it was Mark Twain who said that “God gave us two ears and one mouth and that we ought to listen twice as much as we talk.” The New Testament writer James wrote, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath” (James 1:19). Notice also James 3:2-12.

Our Lord said, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men should speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned” (Matthew 12:36,37). The apostle Paul wrote, “Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man” (Colossians 4:6). The apostle Peter wrote, “…Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (I Peter 3:15).

We sing at V.B.S. and rightly so, “Be careful little mouth what you say.” I have heard it said, “Better to be thought a fool than to open our mouths and remove all doubt.” Sometimes it is far better to be quiet, but that is not always an easy task. There is a lot of wisdom in knowing when to speak and when to not. I look forward to speak tonight at 7 P.M. at Greenfield’s Summer Series. We will study John 6:1-14 and Jesus feeding the 5,000. If you are in that area, we hope you will come as we study this great miracle of our Lord. I will miss being at Dorris Chapel, but I am excited to be with Greenfield tonight. Love y’all and have a blessed day, Tim