“I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress.” Psalm 17:3b
You’ve heard them all, “oh, I can’t believe he said that.” Or maybe, “oh my, that just slipped from my mouth.” Or how about, “wow, she really just put her foot in her mouth.” All common vernacular for when we quicky say something that we wish we could just as quickly retract. So many times, in this life we are quick to speak, yet we are not quick to analyze the words before they are released. And folks, when words are released, they are oh so difficult to recall. Just as a someone running around with a net chasing down a butterfly, we can find our unpurposed, unintended words the focus of our hunt. Only wanting to recall and repair the damage that came from words that slipped…or did they slip?
It’s hard to imagine the life of David at times. He was chosen by God to be the king of the Jews at only about 12. Because God gave him a tremendous talent playing the lyre, he was ushered directly into the throneroom of King Saul not much later. David would sooth the king’s frayed nerves with his musical skill and as a result, he had a constant audience with the king. God soon called him to battle Goliath and with the approval of Saul, he sealed his place in the royal family with the victory. David enjoyed a set up for success if I’ve ever seen one, it seems that God had paved his way to the throne with gold. Yet that’s not the way it happened. Saul flips out and tries to kill David several times which leaves David on the run for his very life. For 12 long years, David is on the run, hiding in caves, looking over his shoulder every minute. But during this time of tremendous hardship, David was learning great things from the Lord. And in Psalm 17 we find one of those lessons and it’s a real gem. David declares that there are no loose words that flow from the mouth. There are no happy accidents as words are casually and carelessly tossed about. For you see, words are released first from the heart…then the mouth.
Today, your words have purpose, a purpose given by your heart. You see, what the heart stores up will be released as we speak to and converse with the world around us. Your words tell who you are, what you are thinking, and with what beliefs you adhere to. As much as we feel our words are proactive, our heart makes them much more reactive, a sort of reflex, as if our knee had just been hit with that little rubber thingy. But God’s Word says it shouldn’t be that way. Our words should not be slips that have to immediately be recalled, they should be greatly purposed. They should be used in a way that will not hurt, harm, or transgress against others, but instead bless, encourage, and support. And within this proposed plan of word delivery lies purpose. A decision, a committal, a pledge. David committed to the Lord that his words would not transgress. David made a decision to see that his words were not flippantly tossed about but used like a finely honed tool of the Lord. Today, use your words cautiously as they hold great power. They hold the power to criticize, to judge, and to damage not only others but the very heart that prepares and delivers them. Choose instead to fill your heart with the Word of God and deliver Words of truth that will show love, grace, and mercy. For the Words of God, when slipped, those Words will never need to be recalled.
“I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak.” Matthew 12:36
“Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips comes to ruin.” Proverbs 13:3
“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent.” Proverbs 10:19
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